Indefinitely
by JadeRent
Summary: Rukia is stationed in Karakura after the war with Aizen, living a double life as Shinigami and human with Ichigo's help. IchiXRuki, swearing, some spoilers from Hueco Mundo arc. Rating changed because Ichigo and Rukia can't keep their hands to themselves.
1. Indefinitely

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or anything else...aww, how sad._

* * *

Indefinitely

Chapter 1: Indefinitely

* * *

"Indefinitely?" Ichigo asked not really believing the key word that just came out of Rukia's mouth. 

"Yeah. I'll be staying here indefinitely." She smirked at him as she repeated herself and then crossed her arms waiting for a real response. Rukia was leaning casually on his desk across from the bed where Ichigo was sitting vacantly, giving him what she had thought, and hoped, he would find to be good news.

"….Indefinitely?" He repeated again.

"…." "_This was getting annoying fast…"_

"….indef-OW!" A flying dictionary to the head interrupted Ichigo mid sentence and caused him to fly backwards from his bed. "WHAT THE FUCK RUKIA!?!" He jumped up from the floor to the other side of his bed where Rukia was standing with her hands on her hips giving him that classic superior/slightly amused smirk she had in her arsenal. After getting over the shock and _ow, the pain_, he got right in her face trying his best to use his height as an intimidation factor.

"Seriously Rukia! That book weighs about 40 pounds and you just lobbed it at my skull!" he screamed down at her.

Rukia replied calmly, "Well I thought since you were having such a hard time understanding the word _indefinitely_, that I would help you out a bit." She didn't even give him the satisfaction of looking in his face or yelling back. She merely crossed her arms over her chest again and stuck her chin high in the air.

"_If only I had a matching thesaurus…" _Ichigo growled to himself"I know what _indefinitely_ means, you crazy midget! I just didn't think Soul Society could do anything that would actually benefit us in all these years!" He was still screaming, but he knew Rukia wouldn't miss that last comment that so stupidly slipped through his lips.

" '_Benefit?' 'Us_?' Aww Ichigo, I didn't know you cared so much!" Rukia finally looked Ichigo right in the eyes with a mischievous smirk on her face.

He gave her his best scowl in an attempt to hide a creeping blush and muttered, "Well that was before you threw that book at my face." Rukia smiled genuinely and knew Ichigo's tirade had passed as he slumped back onto his bed in a sitting position. "So I guess there's not gonna be another assault on Soul Society to stop them from taking you away again." Ichigo blushed again as soon as the words left his mouth._ What is wrong with me tonight? _He chalked it up to the somewhat abrupt end of the catastrophic events that had consumed his life now for the past 3 years. The war was over. No more Aizen, no more Arrancar, no more daily life and death battles. There were still Hollows, but after everything he had been through as a shinigami, a Hollow on his radar was more like a pimple on a forehead for an average teenager. He was still recovering from the constant state of doom that had been his life and it was somewhat difficult to get back to normal again. He enjoyed his verbal and sometimes physical, (_Is that a welt?)_ duels with Rukia, which ironically, did a great job of calming him down. He just had to get it out of his head that she wasn't in peril every second now, and things could be left unsaid. He would love if they were left unsaid. And from what she just told him a few minutes ago, _certain things_ could be left unsaid indefinitely… if he so chose.

Rukia sat next to him on the bed, deciding not to tease him about the rare but sweet sentiments he let slip out. She had been thinking them too and was only lucky enough that he got more carried away in this argument than she did. _So I'll let it slide…for now._

She continued explaining what she just learned, ignoring his earlier blushing. "I just got word from Captain Ukitake that Soul Society is taking things slow. They're trying to piece things back together and return to some normalcy." Ichigo snorted in agreement at that. Rukia continued, "So he said that for now I'm to remain here like my original mission called for and keep my eye on things. I'm the one who knows the most about Karakura and am best suited to take care of it after all of the…disturbances from the last 2 years."

She smiled at Ichigo and he smirked back at her saying, "I'm guessing that making sure I don't do something stupid after everything that's happened is also something you need to keep your eye on huh?"

Rukia laughed and then said, "Well that goes without saying." They smiled at each other and as Ichigo made eye contact with Rukia's big ole violets, he became suddenly aware of how close they were and how…secluded his room was.

He knew their relationship was…special in a way, but one of the perks of being attacked constantly, was that he didn't have time to ponder what they meant to each other exactly. And now in his very quiet, very peaceful, and very private room, with their very close proximity, he was worried that he had much too much time to 'ponder'. He wanted things to return to normal, at least…for a while anyway, before he did anything that could potentially alter his life. So that's why in that moment that could have been the beginning of something new between him and Rukia, he opted instead to reach behind her ever so slowly. The motion of his reach caused him to lean towards her face and he watched as her eyes widened for a second and then start to gently close like his own eyes were slowly doing. He could feel her breath tickle his face as his fumbling hand behind her found what it was looking for. He opened his eyes and stopped leaning for a second to really think about his actions. Her eyes were closed, her face leaning slowly towards him, and she had the cutest expression of expectation mixed with surprise.

"_Sorry Rukia"_ He thought to himself, but if she was going to be there _indefinitely_, he wanted things to be normal again for just a little while longer. They would have plenty of time to re-evaluate their relationship. "_And hopefully, plenty of time for her to forgive me for what I'm about to do."_ And with that thought, Ichigo resolved himself and quickly grabbed the dictionary behind her back with his hand and swung giving her a good, firm, and completely unexpected whap to the back of the head.

"HA! Payback is '_indefinitely_' a bitch!" Ichigo yelled to the short shinigami, who was now sprawled on the floor a few feet away from his bed.

"ICHIGO!!" Rukia screamed as she scrambled up and was ready to kill, only to find that the orange-headed moron was already fleeing from the room. _(And with a stupid grin on his face too!) _The room that conveniently would have no witnesses to his inevitable murder.

"_Just let things be normal for a bit longer Rukia"_ Ichigo thought as his long skinny legs carried him out his front door and hopefully away from the beating he'd deserved. Racing at breakneck speed down the street he let himself smile. "_Then, I'll make sure we- _

_Oh crap. I forgot how fast she is…"_

_

* * *

_

_AN: This is my first fanfic ever. It's not perfect, but I wanted to put something up here. If there aren't people coming at me with pitchforks I might do more._

_Edit: The last line was left out! How horrible! Because I love that line... That's the only thing I fixed btw, because eventually I want to see if I've improved through the chapters or not. Thanks!_


	2. Umbrellas

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Seriously, my mom buys it, I just use it.

* * *

_

Chapter 2: Umbrellas

* * *

Inoue Orihime walked out of the arts and crafts store carrying a small plastic bag with an emblem of a sunflower on it. It was late at night, but luckily this particular store was open 24/7. She had first heard about it from Ishida who was walking beside her at the moment. He felt it was his responsibility to escort her if she must venture out shopping in the middle of the night. 

"Do you think those clerks really work 24 hours a day? Maybe they're actually zombies made from a special kind of thread that the head seamstress/sorceress constructed so she could take control of Karakura town by infecting people through her pins and spools of evil spells!" In her excitement she had thrown her arms up into the air, letting all of the contents of the bag fall to the ground.

"Don't let them escape Ishida-kun! It's our duty to stop these tiny colorful zombie minions!" and she dove down to capture the escapees. Ishida gave a sigh and pushed his glasses further up his nose before gladly helping Orihime, 'gather the minions'. Orihime giggled as he helped her. She watched him retrieve the contents of her bag with his, 'even though I'm bent over looking like a klutz I'm actually very poised and serious-face.'

Ishida looked up at Orihime. "What are you giggling about?" He questioned her while still reaching for the fallen items, and suddenly found his fingers grasping her hand instead of what he thought was a spool of yarn. Orihime watched his face turn a couple shades of red and giggled again. She loved his blush. He was the type of guy who made sure everyone knew he was to be taken seriously, but little things like complimenting her or grazing her skin were enough to make his face match Renji's hair.

"I was just thinking that I love the faces you make Ishida-kun." She smiled as his, 'I wish I didn't blush so much around Inoue-face' blushed red again. His hand was still on top of hers and she stroked her thumb across his skin to show that she didn't mind it there. She even leaned in a little towards his face. Ishida was horribly shy, and if she didn't show some initiative he would probably sit there blushing around her forever. So she took Tatsuki's advice and started towards her prey.

"AAAAGGGHHHHH!!" Orihime and Ishida both jumped up.

"Some woman's being attacked!" Ishida yelled and started running towards the scream.

"Acutally," Orihime started, while running herself, "I think that's Kurosa-"

"OWW! YOU BITCH!" the yell rang out again.

"Don't even act like you didn't know this was coming! Be a man!" yelled another voice, this time it was actually a woman's voice. A woman's very angry voice.

"It's Kuchiki-san and Kurosaki!" yelled Ishida as they were nearing the commotion. He slowed down in hesitation. "Maybe we shouldn't get involved…"

"Too late for that now!" Orihime said, as they found their two friends in a small clearing of grass close to the sidewalk they were on.

"What did you do Kurosaki?" Ishida asked while pushing his glasses.

"That's all your gonna do?! Push up your fucking glasses and look down on me?!? I'm fucking bleeding here!!" Ichigo yelled from the ground. He was lying on his back with a black eye and some cuts here and there. He'd certainly lived through worse.

"Shut up you!" Rukia commanded standing over Ichigo with one foot pressed onto his stomach. She pushed down causing him to exhale loudly. "Or I'll make you sure you get this kind of treatment _indefinitely_!"

Orihime caught onto the inflection Rukia used when she said indefinitely. "What are you talking about Kuchiki-san? Will you be able to stay here awhile to do that?"

"Hey! _Oof!_" Ichigo protested until Rukia pressed her foot into him again.

"Actually I will be staying here Inoue." Rukia stopped glaring at Ichigo long enough to smile at the two friends in front of her. "I got word recently that I'll be a permanent shinigami representative for Karakura." Orihime gasped with delight. She ran towards her friend and hugged her.

"This is great Kuchiki-san! You'll be staying here with us and you'll get to attend our senior year of high school!" Orihime gasped again even louder. Ishida pushed up his glasses worried Orihime's lungs would give out. But she continued.

"Oh Kuchiki-san! You'll get to go to prom with us! And we can all rent a big car! A flying car! And we'll attach rock-"

"In…oue…!" a weak voice from her feet spoke out. Orihime looked down.

"Oh, sorry Kurosaki-kun! I didn't mean to have both of us standing on your stomach. I was just so excited about Kuchiki-san staying here." When he didn't respond, Orihime felt Ishida tug gently on her arm.

"I'm pretty sure he wants you to stop standing on him now…"

"Oh yeah!" Orihime quickly stepped off, with Rukia stepping off behind her. Orihime watched Rukia bite her lip guiltily as she poked Ichigo in the head a few times, making sure they hadn't actually killed him. _'Kuchiki-san cares about Kurosaki-kun so much!'_ She smiled at the thought.

She remembered that she used to be jealous of how much Rukia meant to Ichigo. Jealous that she could never make him smile the way Rukia could. She had been head over heels for him. It took a life-changing event to make her realize that her love would never be returned and that everything would be better off that way. She only harbored the deepest feelings of kinship for Ichigo and Rukia now. She could smile at their happiness even when it took the form of hitting and screaming. She clearly remembered the day her heart was set free and she could move on from Kurosaki Ichigo. Orihime looked over at Ishida making his, 'ha ha, Kurosaki got beat up again-face'. She smiled herself and then remembered that fateful day.

_Flashback _

"_Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime shouted. He was here. He had actually come to save her. He had come all the way to Hueco Mundo to rescue her._

"_But…Kuchiki-san…?" She asked. Ichigo's look of determination wavered a bit and Orihime could see his eyes glaze over with fear and…regret. She knew how much Ichigo and Rukia cared about each other. Probably with more clarity than they did themselves. In fact she was filled with hope when she realized Ichigo was here and trying to rescue her along with the rest of her nakama. But she lost all hope he'd come to her at all when she felt Rukia's reiatsu nearly disappear. But there he was. Standing right in front of her looking beaten up, but nowhere near defeated. It was that look of determination to protect the people he…loved…that was the look that made her heart melt. Even when, as it often wasn't, directed towards her. But right there it was. _

_He turned away when Orihime mentioned Rukia. As if in the distance he could see Rukia fighting for her life and fighting to help save Orihime as well._

"_I trust Rukia to take care of herself." He smirked but his eyes still held worry. "Besides, she'd kill me herself if I ran off to help her when she didn't need it. Our whole goal is to save you Inoue."_

_There it was. He trusted Rukia. He trusted her enough to let her go. Orihime felt a bit like crying inside. Ichigo would die to protect any one of his friends, it was one of the reasons she loved him. But she would never be the person he trusted enough to let go and fight for themselves. It was very much like a mad scientist making an army of robots bent on the annihilation of the world. He could make millions, but he would only let in one special robot into his heart and share his top-secret plan to become a famous ballerina and tour-_

_Orihime was jerked out of her thoughts when Ichigo abruptly lifted her off the ground by her waist and hoisted her over his shoulder running._

"_Kurosaki-kun!!" she cried out shocked and a bit self-conscious. She was grateful that in the position they were in, Ichigo couldn't see her rather large blush._

"_Sorry, there's a lot of rubble here and I just figured it would be easier to carry you rather than-" he jerked to a stop and Orihime would have flown off of his shoulder except for the fact that his grip around her had tightened. It tightened almost painfully._

"_Kurosaki…-kun." That's when she felt it. With a wave of utter sadness rolling through her body, she realized that there was no trace of Rukia's reiatsu. _

"_Rukia." Ichigo barely whispered her name. Orihime feared it would break him to speak any louder, and in an instant he surged to life like she had never seen before and they were speeding through the horrible dark world towards the area they last felt Rukia. They stopped abruptly again, but this time Orihime did fly off Ichigo's strong shoulder. She cried out when she hit the ground and looked to Ichigo to see what was wrong. His normally strong and viral body looked limp and lifeless. He seemed completely devoid of color, even his normally bright orange hair looked…dead. His eyes. Those beautiful, caring, deep, and thoughtful eyes…Orihime shuddered, she felt sick. She followed his gaze and saw what would take all the life out of Kurosaki Ichigo. _

_Rukia was a lifeless heap. _

_Orihime ran towards Rukia and put her abilities to work as best she could. She refused to look at Ichigo. If she saw his face…she wouldn't be able to save their friend. She focused all her power and vision on Rukia's form. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Ichigo put a hand gently on Rukia's face. At that moment Rukia coughed and opened her eyes looking at Ichigo. Orihime felt tears sliding down her face. She still couldn't sense Rukia's reiatsu, even being this close. She sensed Rukia had used the last of her strength to say goodbye to Ichigo. No. Rukia would not die on her watch. She closed off all of her senses, her sight, her hearing, her fear…even her love for the man who would never love her back and she focused all of her being into saving Rukia. If Rukia and Ichigo did exchange words or…even a goodbye kiss, Orihime would not have known. She was using a determination Ichigo would have been humbled by to save her nakama Rukia._

_And then it was gone._

_Her senses slammed back into her and her healing work ceased. Tears fell freely from her opening eyes. And her lips trembled with horrible certainty. _

_Kuchiki Rukia was dead._

_Unconsciously Orihime looked up to Ichigo. She knew it would break her own heart to see his broken, but what she saw instead was something she wasn't expecting. Ichigo was glowing…no he was blinding! His growing reiatsu made Orihime shrink back and she started to look for cover._

"_Kurosaki-kun!!!" She yelled as loud as her voice could, but the light emitting from Ichigo seemed to obliterate all sound. All of Heuco Mundo would be bathed in his light and the power was overwhelming. Her eyes slipped closed and her body slumped to the ground under the pressure of his power._

_She didn't know how much time had passed, she guessed only minutes, but woke up to find the light that had burst from Ichigo condensed somehow. He was in his bankai, and his normally black Zangetsu was pure white now and glowing. _

"_It's as white as Kuchiki-san's zanpakuto." She whispered to herself. She could see her surroundings now and gasped when she realized they weren't alone. Standing next to the body that Rukia had died fighting against was none other than Aizen! Orihime was frozen to the ground in pure shock and could only look on as Ichigo and Aizen squared off one on one. She didn't even jerk when Aizen spoke in his deceptively smooth voice._

"_Kurosaki Ichigo." His eyes bore straight into the other man, who was still, having not moved an inch, looking down next to the body of Rukia. "When I said you were interesting for a human, I never thought it would get this entertaining." He sounded smooth and in control as always. Never letting others in on what he was truly calculating in his head, but Orihime knew Aizen, the Aizen Sosuke was scared. He was scared of Ichigo. Despite the powers Aizen had, everyone in Hueco Mundo would know that Ichigo was simply untouchable now. But not for long. Orihime could see in Aizen's hand the hogyoku__**. 'He was going to use it here and now?! It couldn't be ready could it?'**_

_Aizen drew closer to the body of his dead espada, and held out the hogyoku. _

"_Seems Aaroniero did me a large disservice by getting rid of that girl over there."_

_At those words Ichigo looked up at the man speaking. __**'His eyes…I thought they were horrible before…'**_

"_No matter though. Aaroniero's power will be quite useful to me, and with the hogyoku, I won't let that power go to waste. I won't waste my time with trash like-" _

_Orihime blinked. Aizen was bleeding. She saw blood start to trickle on his forehead, then down, down. A long gash appeared seeping down from the top of his head, over his eye, then slash through his lips, which all of a sudden burst open bleeding. Aizen and Orihime darted their eyes toward Ichigo. It seemed as if he hadn't moved at all, he was looking down the same, except now he was standing. __**'Did he move? Is he that fast?'**_

"_I'll show you my power Kurosaki Ichigo!" Aizen yelled as furious as he was flabbergasted. He had underestimated Ichigo, he thought he had more time. Orihime watched, still frozen in the horror of everything that had happened, as Aizen reached out with the hogyuko and surged his power into it. They hogyuko seemed to roar with life and connect Aizen to the dead espada Aizen called Aaroniero on the ground. Power was erupting from the whole area. Aaroniero's body, the hogyuko, and Aizen, began to make what seemed to be points of a triangle. Orihime knew that the unbelievable amount of power Aizen was converging into himself would be enough to beat Ichigo. _

"_I'm not going to kill you human!" Aizen had seemed to gain some of his confidence back but the smoothness was gone from his tone. His voice was controlled anger laced malicious intent. _

"_When I'm God I'm going to make sure you're there to watch that __**bitch**__ die over and over again!!" The points of the triangle converged to a black light that seemed to suck everything inside of it, and it was aiming straight for Ichigo. Orihime found her words for the first time in what seemed like an eternity._

"_Kurosaki-kun! Do some-" And he did, before she could finish her plea for him to act, Ichigo roared with all the emotions he had hid behind his once chocolate brown eyes. He used the power his grief had pulled forward from his very soul. Ichigo ferociously swung his zanpakuto towards Aizen in an arc, and though Orihime could not see if he had made any contact at all, Aizen's light seemed to disappear as a point from the triangle. Now Ichigo was the third point as he stabbed Zangetsu down into the hogyoku that was still connecting with the espada, and Ichigo yelled out, _

"_GETSUGA TENSHOU!!!" _

_Orihime fell back again and closed her eyes from the pressure she felt all around her that she could only describe as pure, unadulterated agony. When she felt the pressure slip away she tentatively opened her eyes and looked to where Ichigo was last. For the second time, when she looked up at Ichigo, she didn't see what she expected. There was no pain, fear, anger or even that scowl on his face. __**'I should be really worried now…'**__ Ichigo was calm. His brown eyes were back, and when Orihime read them, she could see his usual determination and…__**'clarity?'**_

_Orihime watched Ichigo calmly walk towards Rukia. The remains of Aizen, the fallen espada and even the hogyuko were gone. Everything in that space had been obliterated. _

"_Except, wait…" Orihime mumbled out loud. Looking closely at Ichigo's zanpakuto, she could see the blade return to its normal shade of black and running along the tip was something that looked like a shattered crystal._

"_Is that…Wait! Kurosaki-kun! What are you doing?" Orihime watched surprised and a bit worried for Ichigo as he picked up Rukia's body and held her close to him while pulling his arm carrying his zanpakuto back. __**'Is he going to…stab her?'**_

_With a look of certainty and resolve Ichigo ran his zanpakuto through Rukia's body. _

_Orihime hadn't been there on the night Ichigo had first become a shinigami, but she had heard from Rukia what the method was for the transference of powers. She imagined this mirrored what happened that fateful night Ichigo's world was changed. _

_Orihime held her breath. Normally she would have thought Ichigo had just gone a little insane, but the look on his face, and shift in spiritual pressure told her otherwise. She cried out in relief when she felt a most welcome and familiar reiatsu return to her senses. No longer pinned down by the tension in the atmosphere or the fear in her heart, Orihime ran to an utterly blissful and normal looking Ichigo and a rather shocked and confused Rukia who was sitting up with full strength. _

"_What the hell?!" Rukia yelled, looking decidedly outraged with confusion. But her yells and even her glares went totally unnoticed by the two people who tackled her in a giant and probably painful bear hug sandwich._

"_Don't you ever die again Kuchiki-san!" Orihime cried out pressing Rukia's head into her large and soft chest._

"_What she said…I'll kick your ass if you do." Ichigo murmured as he pressed the other half of Rukia into his hard and sweaty chest._

"_Well you'll get that chance… if you don't… let me breathe!" A barely audible Rukia yelled._

_Ichigo and Orihime gave out a collective, "Oh." And let Rukia collapse onto her back again to gain her ability to breathe. Orihime watched Ichigo look into Rukia's eyes for what seemed like the thousandth time in her life, but this time she smiled. __**'Kuchiki-san makes Kurosaki-kun's rain stop when all I could ever do was hold an umbrella. He doesn't need me to hold an umbrella at all…he's happy now…and so am I.'**_

"That's it! Someone call for an ambulance!" Ishida was nearly yelling.

"Should I call Urahara maybe or a human doctor?" Rukia asked with her cell phone in front of her and her eyes showing concern.

"You should call _me_ the fucking doctor." Ichigo groaned still lying on the ground. A quick kick to the gut from Ishida and Rukia had Ichigo panting for oxygen again.

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?! She's been out of it for almost an hour and you're worried about some black eye?!?!" Ishida roared.

"Who's been out of what? Can I help with my powers?" Orihime asked, rather worriedly now. She'd never seen Ishida get so worked up before.

"Inoue!" the collective group cried out in surprise at hearing her add to the conversation.

"…Yes?" she glanced nervously around at 5 worried eyes, and one so swollen she couldn't tell if it was worried or maybe it was a plum. Ishida grabbed her shoulders firmly, as if she'd float away from the ground they were standing on.

"Inoue you've been standing there completely immobile for almost an hour! Are you okay?"

"Oh. Hehehe, I guess I spaced out there for a second. Tatsuki says that when I space out I'm probably actually in some sort of time por-" Before she could finish explaining about her time travel abilities, the trio seemed to drop in exasperation around her. Rukia was the first to recover.

"Well it was…nice…seeing you guys tonight." She said, darting an unnerved glance towards Orihime. She stooped down and started dragging Ichigo by the arm towards their house. "Let's go Strawberry, we'll just tell your dad you tripped while taking a jog."

Ichigo struggled to get out of Rukia's grip. "What?! A jog? I tripped? You think my family thinks I'm that kind of idiot!" He stopped struggling and refused to meet Rukia's eyes. "Shut up and just keep dragging." He muttered.

"Bye Kuchiki-san! Kurosaki-kun! See you at school tomorrow!" Orihime shouted happily and waved to her friends. "You know Ishida-kun," she turned towards the boy still looking worn out from her earlier supposed near death experience. "I think every bruise Kurosaki-kun gets from Kuchiki-san is really like a love note! Marking the special dates and activities that they went through together! What do you think?"

"Eh…come on Inoue," he said while taking her hand into his to pull her along. "Let's just get you home before you accidentally give me a nervous break down." Orihime walked happily with Ishida, still holding his hand. She looked down at their hands and intertwined their fingers lightly. She looked up into his face and saw a bright red blush spread over that he tried to hide with a cough. She could feel herself blush a bit as well, but only smiled more._ 'I'm happy I don't need to carry around an umbrella for Ishida-kun.'

* * *

_

_AN: Hooray I have plot now! Thank you so so so SO much to all the people who reviewed. Keep em coming pretty please! I really wonder what people think of the story now that there's more depth. I'm trying to balance out the drama, comedy, and romance. Okay basically everything. I just wonder what everyone thinks. Thanks a lot for reading, so please review! I like constructive criticism or if you wanna just tell me I'm awesome, whatever floats your boat._


	3. Duty

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, but what I really need right now is a swiffer. My room is so dusty._

* * *

Chapter 3: Duty

* * *

"Good morning Ichigoooo!!!!" screamed a flying Kurosaki Isshin as he acted as personal interactive alarm clock to his only son. Ichigo, as if on a spring hinge, sat upright in bed and caught his fathers foot about 4 seconds before it hit his face. His eyes were still blurry from sleep and he yawned wide as he absently propelled his father out the open window.

"That's my booyyy!!!" his father cried as he fell a few stories down to the ground below.

"I've gotten way too used to doing that." Ichigo mumbled as he lazily stumbled towards the bathroom. All of his muscles were sore and he really needed a long hot shower to ease the pain from the beating Rukia gave him the night before. _'Okay, so I deserved it. That's the only freaking reason I didn't kick her ass right back.' _His thoughts were more logical and eloquent than the grunted words he let out.

"Stupid midgt'…hittin' freakin' hard…bratty bitc-"

"Ichigo! Breakfast is ready!" Yuzu leaned into view from the bottom of the stairs. Her bright and happy smile faltered when she took at look at her older brother. "Wow Ichigo, you look horrible! Rukia said you really took a tumble while jogging last night, but I didn't think you'd get a black eye just from tripping over your own laces."

Her concerned and slightly confused face was met back with a mere scowl, more grunts, and then the slam of the bathroom door. She shrugged and returned to the dining room to start her breakfast with Rukia, Karin, and Isshin, who'd just stumbled back into the house through the front door with a slight bump on his head.

"Maybe I should put an extra treat in Ichigo's lunch today…" Yuzu contemplated aloud as she sat next to Karin at the table. "Something sweet should cheer him up and he won't think about being hurt."

Isshin popped up between his two daughters and squeezed them tightly in his arms. "With such lovely and thoughtful sisters around all day caring for him, Ichigo shouldn't be able to feel any pain whatsoever!" He squeezed the twins harder with tears rolling down his cheeks and a gigantic toothy smile.

"Then I guess you won't even feel this old man." Karin deadpanned as she punched her father's already lumped noggin. She continued eating her breakfast without looking up. "Ichigo's fine Yuzu, don't go spoiling him with treats. We don't need him to get any more lazy and sluggish than he already is."

"Who are you calling lazy?" Ichigo scowled at Karin as he emerged from the stairway and into his seat at the table next to Rukia. He ignored the snort of laughter from her when he sat down, giving her full view of the damage she'd inflicted. He took in bites of breakfast through the set scowl on his face.

"Ichigo!" Isshin popped up between Ichigo and Rukia, pulling them together as he had with the twins. "You should let dear, sweet, Rukia kiss your boo-boos away!" He made kissy faces towards a now fuming Ichigo and a wide-eyed Rukia. "Kisses from pretty girls make everything bad go away!"

Ichigo grabbed his dad in a headlock and punched him repeatedly in the gut. "Why don't _you_ go away you crazy old pervert?!"

"Oh Ichigo! _Oof!_ I know you're- _oof-_ bursting with testoster- _oof-_ one!" Isshin exclaimed between punches. By grabbing a chair and whapping the back into Ichigo's face, Isshin managed to slip out of the headlock and hide behind Rukia for protection. He lifted the girl clear out of her seat and held her up in front of Ichigo. It was much like the way Rukia showed off her 'art' to Ichigo.

"Rukia's the perfect girl to help you let out some of that manly tension building in that hormonal teenage body of yours!" Ichigo's face went fiery red with what he would argue was pure rage. He opened his mouth to scream in a way that would not have been shrill in the least, but instead was forced to catch the girl his father had decided to throw on him as a diversion. Ichigo easily caught Rukia in what looked like a tight embrace, and glanced down into her '_I don't think they're beautiful!' _eyes, only to find his own rage towards his father reciprocated in them.

"Please… go _murder_…your father now …Ichigo." Rukia gritted through what may have resembled a smile from far away, but in actuality looked more like a mouth full of fangs waiting to tear into something.

"Right." And Ichigo gently, not wanting her rage turned towards him, set Rukia back down at the table as if she was never lifted from there in the first place. He even went as far as putting her utensils back into her hand. He backed away from her slowly until he saw his father snickering behind the living room sofa.

"I'LL KILL YOU! YOU BASTARD!"

The father and son continued to fight around the house while the three girls, quite used to the morning antics continued with their meals. Rukia's fangs retracted and she smiled. _'Despite all the crazy, it feels like home. Like I belong here.'_

_Flashback _

_Rukia stood outside the office belonging to her captain. She raised one hand to the door about to knock for entrance when she paused. She was nervous. They had just defeated Aizen and the war was over, what did she have to be nervous about? No more fighting, no more fear, no more kidnappings or betrayals. But still she was nervous standing outside Ukitake's office because what came next would dictate her life from here on out. Soul Society would be reorganizing and taking control of day to day life again. Paperwork, orders, and…her duty in Seireitei would once again come into play. She was nervous because she didn't feel like she belonged in Soul Society anymore. Not that she ever felt at home in the first place. She felt that life in Rukongai was too dismal and dangerous. She had thought becoming a shinigami would solve that problem, but she only felt like an outsider. Especially after being inducted into the noble Kuchiki clan. Rukia had never felt she belonged anywhere until…until she met Ichigo. She didn't want to leave Ichigo, and that realization made her nervous. _

_Her hand still rapt in a fist in front of the door of the office was all of a sudden caught between two yelling faces._

"_I'll introduce Kuchiki's presence to the Taicho!" Sentaro yelled down to a blond head._

"_No way! I'll introduce Kuchiki to the Taicho! Your bad breath will probably send him into a coughing fit and leave him bedridden for a month!" Kiyone yelled back up. Rukia, wide eyed, a bit frightened, and most definitely deaf now, shrunk down between the raging officers and quickly slipped into her Taicho's office. _

"_My bad breath?!? You don't know anything you boog-" Rukia slammed the door shut behind her._

"_Kuchiki Rukia, what were you spacing out in front of my door for?" Rukia turned around to see Ukitake behind his desk with a cup of tea._

"_Sorry Taicho. I was just…Sorry Ukitake Taicho." Rukia bowed her head and stood in front of her captain's desk._

"_No problem Rukia, besides, I believe you just saved me from a massive migraine." Ukitake smiled as he offered Rukia a seat in the chair next to her and then offered her some tea when she sat down. She shook her head and declined as she sat. "You look kind of nervous though. Don't worry, I didn't ask you to see me to tell you you're in trouble or anything. Seems like your friend Kurosaki has that market cornered!" Rukia smiled a bit as Ukitake joked with her._

"_No Ukitake Taicho, I figured I was summoned to receive my new orders." Her smile disappeared as she spoke softly. "I know Soul Society has a lot to do to get things back in order."_

_Ukitake took a sip of tea then set his cup down. "Exactly." He said, keeping his friendly smile on his face. "Soul Society has so much work to do and everyone's running around trying to get readjusted. I think people are in some kind of post-war adrenaline rush! There are so many changes and new orders. Promotions and rearrangements! I've got enough paper work to sort through myself, but I need to do even more paper work to find a fuko-taicho to help me out with it!" _

_Rukia smiled at his excitement and how he managed to keep a smile on his face throughout all the chaos. She may have wanted to stay beside Ichigo, but it was obvious her beloved captain needed her help. She looked up to his face with a brave smile._

"_Taicho, I'd be happy to assist you in any way possible."_

"_I figured you'd say that Rukia. You've always been one of the hardest working members of my squad. Always willing to help out and going the extra mile in your duties." Ukitake coughed a bit and paused to drink some more of his tea. He cleared his throat, and continued with the cup still held in his hands. "Which is why Rukia I know I can depend on you to undertake a difficult mission. You're the only one I trust with this."_

_Rukia stiffened at the seriousness of his words even though his lips were still set in an easy smile._

"_I'd be honored Taicho!"_

"_Great! Rukia, I'm going to need to you to report to the living world and protect one of Soul Society's most precious assets." Rukia leaned in paying close attention. "I need you Rukia to personally and probably permanently keep watch of Karakura town and help out shinigami representative Kurosaki Ichigo." _

_Rukia quickly sat back in her chair and stared at her captain with wide eyes. All of her nervousness seemed to jump out of her body. It was replaced by surprise, honor, and most of all pure giddiness. _

"…_uh.." was about as much as Rukia could articulate._

_Ukitake's smile grew behind his cup of tea, but then he quickly regained his composure. He closed his eyes and set his cup down. Sticking his chin up and finger up in the air, as if making a crucial point, he continued._

"_I know it's going to be an arduous task Kuchiki, but Karakura is home to lots of strong reiatsu and is constantly being targeted by all kinds of trouble. You know the area best. You know it's inhabitants, customs, and rules. And I've never met anyone who could single handedly keep Kurosaki in line like you can." Rukia blushed slightly at this, but Ukitake continued, now shrugging and leaning forward slightly._

"_I know that you may have wanted to stay here in Seireitei and peacefully push papers and represent the Kuchiki clan after all your hard work and vital role in the war. But I really need your help Rukia and I know you're the best one for the job." _

_Rukia sat still, a bit stunned, then looked up at her captain's knowing and kind eyes. She really did have the best captain of the 13 squads. She stood up to full attention and put her hand up in a salute._

"_I accept this mission Ukitake Taicho! I promise I won't let you down!"_

"_Great Rukia! I'll be sending more specific orders through your communicator in the following weeks. I've got a lot planned for our new Trans-Communicator Living World Shinigami Specialist!" He paused and quirked his face. "Well, that's the title so far. I'm really not so sure what to call you yet. Well I'll let you get on your way Rukia, I'm sure you'll want to spread the news!"_

"_Thank you so much Ukitake Taicho! I'm happy to be the…trans…communicator…world…per-...I'll do my best!" Rukia turned to leave and find a private corner where she could jump around and squeal happily like her beloved Chappy, but Ukitake rushed in front of her and put a basket in her hands._

"_Before you go, would you mind giving these to Hitsugaya Taicho for me? He just loves sweets!"_

"Oi! Rukia!" Rukia jerked back into the present after hearing Ichigo yell rudely from the sidewalk outside the house. "Don't make me any later for school!" with that last remark he started walking down the sidewalk knowing she'd be following him soon.

Rukia rushed out the door to catch up with Ichigo and fell into step slightly behind him. She looked up to his face and could see the dark bruise that had formed around his eye. _'Maybe I took that a little too far.' _Rukia started a bit when Ichigo caught her appraising him.

"Admiring your handiwork huh?" He scowled at her and then looked forward again muttering. "It's not like I don't call enough attention to myself without having to explain how I got beat up by a girl." Rukia smirked at that.

"One who looks like she just hit puberty last week no less..."

Rukia stopped smirking.

Ichigo continued talking. "Hey, why don't you make yourself useful for once and think of a good lie for me to tell everyone. I don't think people at school are going to buy that I tripped while jogging."

"Since when do you care about what the people at school think?" Rukia chided back. "I thought that was part of your 'image', not caring what anyone thinks of you." She recognized the irony in her statement and knew Ichigo did too, which is why she started laughing out loud when Ichigo huffed and sped up away from her.

Rukia sighed in resignation, after her laughing fit, and grabbed Ichigo's wrist before he got too far ahead. He raised his eyebrows questioningly at her until she suddenly pulled him behind some bushes off the sidewalk. His eyebrows and face now read the look of shock and concern.

"Rukia!" he yelped and glanced nervously around before they were hidden completely by overgrowth. Rukia pulled Ichigo down into a sitting position on his knees and kneeled in front of him.

He was scared now. But instead of whimpering, which is what he shamefully felt like doing, he put on his best scowl and in a low, threatening whisper grumbled, "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Again his scowl melted into surprised fear when Rukia cupped his face with her hands.

"Oh shut up you big baby." She moved one hand up from his cheek to cover the eye she had taken her aggression out on. She felt a tingle in her belly when she felt some stubble scratch across her smooth palm. And she felt an even larger tingle accompanied by some heat, when she thought she felt Ichigo shiver at her touch.

"I-I…"She shook her head and regained her composure. "I'm not going to listen to you bitch at me all the way to school over your reputation." She rolled her eyes. "Just let me fix this with some kidou. I think you got the message I was sending anyway."

Ichigo gulped and mentally berated himself for letting Rukia have this affect on him. _'Normal. Normal! I just want things to be normal before I go and make an idiot out of myself. Stupid Rukia. Stupid…soft… hands. Stupid…big violet-blue eyes…errg. She's totally doing this on purpose.' _Ichigo closed his eyes to avoid looking at Rukia and felt the kidou working on his features. He'd never, ever, say it out loud, but he loved when Rukia healed him. Especially for minor injuries. He could feel her reiatsu cover his body inside and out and her hands caress him with a tenderness she didn't often show. And with a minor injury, such as his black eye, Rukia didn't have to worry about Ichigo…well dying, which was often the situation. He hated making her worry about him. Concern looked cute on her face, but it was nothing compared to her arrogant smirk. So all in all, this was win-win situation. That is until…

"Ichigo? What are you doing hiding in the bu-_Kuchiki-san_?! What the hell?! What kind of best friend, good buddy, hot girl stealer are you!!?"

Asano Keigo.

'_Crap.'_ Ichigo and Rukia thought in unison.

Keigo didn't even give them time to stand guiltily from their positions and instead barged into the bushes with them.

"I knew it! I've always known you two had the hots for each other!" he somehow managed to pop up in-between Ichigo and Rukia and point a finger accusingly at them both.

"But this time, this time, HA! I've got you red handed!!" Keigo's look of triumph quickly turned into one of tears. "It's the only reason the sweet, beautiful, and angelic Kuchiki-san would ignore my advances! Ichigo how could you!? How- owww!!"

Ichigo finally got a word in, well a punch really, to shut Keigo up. "So much for my reputation." He muttered sourly. _'But at least I don't have that black eye anymore. And Rukia did put her hands…never mind.'_

Ichigo stepped out of the bushes with Keigo and an already scheming Rukia behind him. Keigo opened his mouth again to say lord knows what, and Ichigo pulled back a fist ready to punch again and scream 'shut up'. Luckily, and quite ingeniously, if she did say so herself, Rukia beat them to the…well, the punch. It was quick-tempered Ichigo she was dealing with. Rukia put on her best damsel in distress face and suddenly grabbed Keigo into a hug fit for…

"My hero!" She yelled out with tears of joy streaming down her cheeks. Keigo would have collapsed from pure euphoria had Rukia not been holding him up and squeezing the air out of him.

"Thank you so much Asano-kun! I was walking by myself when all of a sudden a big scary foamy mouthed dog started chasing me! Kurosaki-kun saw us and pushed me into the bushes to hide! You must have scared that rabid fiend away from us while we were cowering in fear! Thank you so much Asano-kun! I owe you my gratitude!" And with that she placed the most chaste of kisses on his cheek and Keigo finally did collapse to the ground in pure euphoria.

Ichigo and Rukia stood back watching Keigo twitch happily. "There." Rukia slapped her hands together as if she just got done working hard. "That should keep him out of our hair for awhile." She proudly smiled up at Ichigo only to find him twitch much like Keigo. But Ichigo did not look very happy at all. "What?" She asked.

"What?" Ichigo started. "What…? Wh-…What the HELL Rukia?!" He looked livid now.

"Yeah. So what?!" Rukia was getting angry now too. "I just saved our asses."

" 'While we were cowering in fear?' " I've never cowered a day in my life! And tell me, what, could possibly, be going through that tiny pipsqueak skull of yours, when you decided to _kiss_ him?!?!" Ichigo screamed.

To his utter surprise, Rukia just turned and calmly continued on the walk to school. Then she said, "Honestly Ichigo. Jealous of a kiss on the cheek? You really are a prudish virgin aren't you?" She smiled smugly when she heard his jaw hit the pavement, then changed her expression to schoolgirl innocence as she saw Tatsuki and Orihime come into view.

"Nice job Rukia." Tatsuki commented when the three girls came together. "Two K-Os without even breaking a sweat! I'm impressed." She saw the condition of what could be a pile of bodies behind Rukia.

"Oh no!" Rukia beamed but waved a hand in protest. "Those silly boys are just playing around with me! I would never even think of laying a hand on them! I'm much too small and they're so big and strong!"

"Yeah I am!" Keigo appeared with his arm around Rukia's shoulders giving a thumbs up sign to Orihime and Tatsuki. "You just missed me saving Kuchiki-san and Ichigo from a monster dog! I'm a hero!"

"Must of missed that part." Tatsuki deadpanned with an eyebrow raised.

"Are you all right after that attack Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime spoke up sincerely. "That dog must have been really rabid if you couldn't handle it by yourself?"

Ichigo sidled up to the rest of the group. "Yeah, I guess so." He leaned his face menacingly close towards Keigo. "How about I give you a dose of my own appreciation…" glaring towards the arm still around Rukia's shoulder, "That is if you're done with Kuchiki-san here…"

Keigo immediately stepped back and far…far away from Rukia and held up his hands in defeat. Smiling in fright he said, "Ichigo! What are friends for?! Don't mention it again! Please! I didn't do anything! See anything! What dog? Kuchiki who? Is that the bell? Wouldn't want to be late for class! Let's go! I'll race you!" In a puff of smoke Asano Keigo had left the immediate proximity.

The four friends left behind blinked at his sudden departure. Tatsuki was the first to talk and sighed throwing her bag over her shoulder. "As crazy as he is, Keigo's right about getting to school. We wouldn't want to be late for our senior, and last year of high school would we?" She smiled like it was a challenge, and the small group started walking again.

Orihime looked towards Ichigo, and with sudden realization asked, "Oh, Kurosaki-kun! Your face looks much better from when I saw you last! Is all the pain gone?"

Ichigo glared at Rukia, who was now walking in front next to Tatsuki, with that stupid, clueless but happy, fake expression on her face. He grumbled more to himself than Orihime. "It's more like a pain in my ass now."

* * *

_AN: Thank you again to everyone who reviewed! The reviews really help me get off my butt and update. So I encourage reviews! Big cheesy thumbs up I'm new to fanfiction, so am I supposed to reply to the reviews? I don't know what the norm is so...Anyway I hope this chapter is okay, I know there's another flashback, I'm hoping it's not too redundant. Really, I love feedback, so tell me what you think. I know there's gonna be at least one more flashback, but I'll try and stay away from them if they hurt the story. Umm, yeah, thanks a lot for reading and keeping interested!_


	4. Seniors

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or do I? Oh, wait, no I don't, my bad._

* * *

Chapter 4: Seniors

* * *

The rest of the walk to school continued without incident, much to Ichigo's satisfaction. Keigo also proved true to his word when he greeted Ichigo in his normal manner, forgetting the glares promising a slow death, that Ichigo had dealt him earlier that morning.

"Good morning Ichigo!" Keigo announced to his friend and the rest of the class.

"Don't you ever learn?" Ichigo grumbled with one eye twitching. The normal manner of greeting wasn't one Ichigo found particularly pleasant. Once again, Keigo was attached to his shoulders. He was about to throw the new growth out the window, but apparently Keigo did learn a thing or two, because he jumped right off Ichigo's back and took a defensive position from the floor.

"I'm just expressing some brotherly love Ichigo!" Keigo cried up with tears of rejection in his eyes. For such a straight and perverted teenage boy, he sure was a drama queen. Keigo jumped back up when he realized Ichigo wasn't about to pummel him. "It's how I'm celebrating our SENIOR YEAR!!!!" Keigo was suspended in the air with pure glee.

"Whatever." Ichigo responded. "This year's the same as every other year." And with that remark he went to his regular spot, where everyone else had already taken up their customary positions. Ichigo leaned up against his own desk where Chad and Mizuiro stood waiting for him. Ishida sat close by with a book in front of his face pretending he wasn't sharing the company of the others. Ichigo was greeted with a nod, a "Good morning Ichigo!", and slight eye contact by the three boys.

Ichigo looked over to the right and saw the girls arranging themselves around Rukia's desk. They were chatting animatedly about whatever sort of thing girls found interesting. Usually it was something Ichigo thought was beyond stupid, but Rukia sat there with her fake, sweet, smile, pretending she knew what everyone else was talking about. Actually, Ichigo looked closer at Rukia and saw a bit of an edge in her eyes. '

Ichigo started to listen to the girls conversation.

"I'm so excited we're finally seniors!" cried out Mahana. She looked to be on the same page as Keigo, who must have agreed, because he popped up in the middle of the girls group and joined in.

"I know! Senior year means we run this school! We've got parties to go to, senior dances like prom! Drinking and chilling all night long! No curfew for the rest of the year because we're seniors! Oh man! Think of all the luscious ladies intoxicated with the power of independence and the need to piss of their daddies with acts of rebellion! We're so gonna get la-"

"Shut it Keigo!" Tatsuki gave Keigo a 'hand' by shoving her foot in his mouth with a kick.

"I'm not sure who's the bigger pervert! You or Chizuru! Do you guys take lessons together or something?"

Chizuru spoke up looking at bit upset. "We're just red-blooded teenagers with healthy libidos! It's our job as seniors to get practice with our fellow students before we go off to college and…" She shuddered in some sick fantasy only she could see and stared dreamily at Orihime. "Experiment with our roommates under the bright full moon." Before she could act out her thoughts with Orihime, Tatsuki gave her a bit of what Keigo had earlier. Although it looked a lot more painful.

"I don't know why you guys are excited about becoming seniors." Ryo spoke up blandly behind a book. "Senior year is just a lot more work."

Orihime nodded her head in agreement. "She's right. We have to start preparing to go to college, take placement tests, find jobs, plan out our future, stop the robots from-"

"Yeah. I heard we even have to start taking a college preparation class at school this year." Tatsuki interrupted. "We're going to be so busy getting ready for college, we're not going to have time to throw parties or get wasted. I just hope I have enough time for karate club as it is."

Keigo gave Tatsuki a sneer. "Well I know what's really important about senior year, and that is obviously the hot drunk girls aching to release some stress." He backed away from Tatsuki's foot and took cover behind Chad.

"I don't know Asano-kun…" Mizuiro started.

Keigo grabbed his head in frustration. "Stop being so formal Mizuiro!"

"I'm just saying. If you want to end up at a good school, like the kinds my girlfriends frequent, you have to get decent grades your senior year."

"Doesn't mean I have to be a nerd like all of these traitors!" Keigo pointed to the rest of their friends and Ichigo threw him a glare before leaning over to Rukia.

He'd never really talked about all this college stuff with her, and by the look on her face, she was feeling a bit intimidated. To be honest, Ichigo never gave the future a lot of thought himself. He was so busy trying not to die in the present, he didn't think about preparing for the future. Going to college, getting a job, stuff like that wasn't much of a priority when someone's attempting a decapitation. Ichigo was actually surprised he'd made it to his senior year. Not just physically, but grade wise as well. He'd missed a lot of class. He had to throw that one up to pure luck to giving him a teacher who happened to be off her rocker. She let everything slide and accepted the lamest excuses ever. She'd have to be crazy if she took Rukia's acting seriously.

Speak of the devil, Ochi-sensei appeared in front of the class asking for their attention. Ichigo missed his chance to talk with Rukia and maybe quell some of her fears. He'd make it a point to talk to her during lunch and make sure she wasn't too overwhelmed. Plus she'd probably start beating him up if she felt he'd hid something from her. And Ichigo was pretty sure he met the "Rukia-beatings" quota for that week.

"Alright class!" Ochi-sensei spoke loudly. "Everyone sit down, shut up, and get your hands out of your pants Asano!"

"What?! I'm not-"

"Whatever, just sit down and look up here everyone." Ochi-sensei leaned against her desk facing the class with a sticky pad on one of her fingers. "I want to welcome everyone to your first day of school for the year!" She paused for cheers.

There were none.

"Hey, come on guys! It's your senior year, which means the last year of high school!"

This time there were cheers.

"That is, as long as you guys don't get too lazy and slack off the entire year or go missing or something like that." She waved a hand of dismissal at the confused faces in front of her. "Well whatever! I've actually got some news for everyone! Not only are you going to start taking college preparation classes this year, but you get to take a few placement exams as well!"

There were a few groans.

"And…according to this yellow note I'm holding, we'll be greeting a new transfer student to our class today!"

This got Ichigo's attention. Transfer students at Karakura High School were never a good thing.

Ochi-sensei seemed to actually recognize that fact too. She narrowed her eyes in contemplation. "You know, we have a lot of transfer students here, but they always seem to disappear after a few months. How weird! We need more transfers like Kuchiki!"

"I agree!" Shouted out Keigo. Rukia gave an unsure smile.

"I'll bet Kurosaki agrees with you Asano." Ochi-sensei teased.

"Hey! Don't group me with that pervert!" Ichigo grabbed his desk hard putting small finger shaped dents in it.

A cough was heard outside of the door and a red-haired, bandana wearing, tattooed face, poked through the crack asking, "Uhh…can I come in now?"

"Renji?!" Rukia couldn't contain herself. The other students looked at her with raised eyebrows wondering how Kuchiki-san knew this stranger and how would Kurosaki-kun feel about that?

"Oh yeah…" Ochi-sensei lead Renji into the classroom. "I forgot about you. Well everyone, except Kuchiki who already seems a bit familiar with our new student, this is Abarai Renji." She kicked him in the rear pushing him forward.

"What the-?!" He grunted out with a glare towards his new teacher.

"Go ahead, don't be shy, introduce yourself!" she smiled broadly.

"Okay…uh…I'm Abarai Renji…I'm…uh..new?" Despite being over 6 feet tall with muscles as big as, let's say baboons, he looked completely unsure of himself. Ichigo was about to laugh at the idiot, until the big guy caught sight of Rukia and then waved and gave her a thumbs up with a goofy grin. Ichigo about snapped his desk when Rukia did the same right back to him. These two in the same class with him? Okay, so he made it _to_ senior year, but there was no way he'd be able to make it _through_ senior year now.

Students in the class were already murmuring to each other about the new kid.

"He's got crazy tattoos! Do you think they're from a prison gang?"

"How many times has he been left back? He looks 40…"

"Finally, another sexy guy!"

"Think he's related to Kurosaki?"

"What's with those weird eyebrows?"

"Hey!" Renji shouted to the student who commented on his eyebrows and gave out a few more grunts, shutting up the rest of the class.

"How articulate this one is…anyway," Ochi-sensei pointed to the desks, "go ahead and pick a seat. Welcome to the class Abarai-san!"

Renji walked directly to the desk on the other side of Rukia then growled at the student sitting in it. The poor guy fled from the room leaving Renji a spot next to Rukia.

"Guess he had to pee or something." Ochi-sensei shrugged. "Let's start our lesson!"

This was not good. Ichigo could already hear the gears in Mizuiro's brain plotting some nasty rumors, and Ichigo knew he would get the worst of it. He looked around at the rest of the class. They weren't whispering anymore, but most of them hadn't taken their eyes off of Renji. Renji who was outright staring and smiling at Rukia…

Ichigo needed to talk to Renji and find out what the hell he was doing here! But it would look too suspicious if he dragged Renji, himself, and Rukia out of class. He really didn't need any threesome rumors going around. Oh man, he hoped he didn't just jinx himself.

Ichigo, severely freaked out by his own thoughts and shuddering, leaned over to Rukia. Whispering, "Rukia, the three of us need to talk during lunch."

"Why?" She whispered back.

"Because I need to know why the fuck Renji's here trying to mess up our senior year! We've got enough stuff to worry about without him making it worse!" Ichigo's whisper turned into more of a strangled plea.

Rukia licked her lips and met Ichigo's eyes with a bit of fear. "Yeah Ichigo, I wanted to ask some questions about our senior year. I think there's stuff I should know about that I'm really unprepared for."

Ichigo calmed down a bit. He felt a little guilty worrying about his reputation when Rukia was really overwhelmed with all the facts he'd neglected to tell her earlier.

"Hey, don't worry about." He tried to sound a little soothing and less whiny than before. "It's nothing to really worry about, we'll talk about that at lunch too after we deal with Renji."

Ichigo saw Renji lean over towards Rukia from where he was sitting.

"Are you guys talking about me? What did I do? I thought this uniform was a little tight but nothing's poking out right?" he asked Rukia, but accusingly looked to Ichigo.

"It's fine Renji. Ichigo just wants to know why you're here." Rukia answered .

Renji leaned over more so that his face was right off the edge of Rukia's desk.

"And why does Ichigo care so much about why I'm here? Afraid I'll make you look bad?" He smirked.

Rukia turned towards Ichigo again.

"Renji wants to know why you care he's here and if you're afraid he'll make you look bad."

"Hey, I can hear him just fine Rukia!" Ichigo's face was now over the edge of Rukia's desk as well. Both boys were leaning from their seats and sandwiching Rukia in between.

"We'll talk about this during lunch okay!"

"What's wrong with right now?" Renji asked.

"Because we're in the middle of class you idiot!" Ichigo countered.

"We might as well, since you're both at my desk anyway." Rukia added.

"Yeah! See Rukia agrees with me!"

"Then you're both idiots!"

"Watch who you're calling an idiot Strawberry!"

"Don't call me Strawberry Rukia! You might as well call Renji Strawberry with that hair of his!"

"Don't turn this around on me! And you're one to talk about hair, Carrot top!"

"He's got you there Kurosaki." Said a voice that wasn't Rukia's.

"Oh shut up! Who the hell asked…" Ichigo, Rukia, and Renji looked up to find Ochi-sensei joined in the conversation and the rest of the class watching with greatly amused interest.

Ichigo and Renji leaned back into their own seats and the teacher stood up in front of the class again.

"I'm sure the three of you have a lot of sordid affairs to work out, but maybe you could leave that for an empty classroom during lunch rather than in front of Asano's virgin eyes."

"Why do you always pick on me?!" Keigo cried out.

Ichigo sank into his seat mortified. This was the exact kind of moment he wanted to avoid. But he knew the minute Renji walked through the door, that pure, unadulterated humiliation would be inevitable. He slammed his head on his desk and pretended he rendered himself unconscious for the rest of the class period.

* * *

_AN: Sorry this update is a little late if you were expecting something weekly. I've never written a story this long and I realized that I should really know the plot before I start showing chapters. So hooray! I'm afraid it's starting a little slow, but I hope that it's at least entertaining enough to keep reading. Thank you so much to people who are reading, and people who are reviewing, and yeah! You're all awesome!!! Okay enough of me, I'll start working on the rest of the story cause school is starting...bleh...and I really want to keep up with this. Thanks again!_


	5. Rooftop

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. But I think I'm witty enough to try damn it!_

* * *

Chapter 5: Rooftop

* * *

After class let out for the lunch break, Rukia watched Ichigo storm off towards the roof with his hands in his pockets and grumbling something about too many witnesses. She snorted. If anyone had a reason to grumble, it would be her. She wasn't feeling too sure of herself after hearing what some of the other students said about their "senior" year of high school. She thought she had human life down and was ready to be the human… representative… whatever role, that Ukitake had asked her to be. But it was suddenly looking a lot more difficult to be a human. Rukia need answers and she wanted to ask Ichigo. She knew it would be no use complaining to herself, because to get information out of Ichigo, she'd have to get all the killing intent out of him first.

Rukia walked with the rest of her friends towards the roof as they snickered at Ichigo's figure in front of them.

"When will Ichigo stop pouting like a baby when it comes to his image?" Tatsuki asked.

"You've got to admit though," Mizuiro spoke up. "Abarai sticks out like a sore thumb."

Keigo agreed saying, "Well who wouldn't stick out with all those tattoos and that hair."

Renji loomed over Keigo. "What was that Asano?" He put on his, "I look polite, but I'm going to kill you" smile.

"N-no offense! Abarai-san! I just mean…you're so…much more of a man than any of the guys here!! Yeah! You pump out manliness!" Keigo stopped looking terrified and put on his usual perverted face. Nudging his elbow gently into Renji's side he said, "The ladies had their eyes all over you!" He started winking.

Renji sighed, "Yeah, whatever. I'm used to that."

"Yeah Keigo." Tatsuki turned around to look at the guys. "Renji's used to people staring at those weird eyebrows!" Tatsuki laughed as Renji's "weird eyebrows" arched in outrage. Then she took Orihime's hand and ran towards the roof door where Ishida was holding it open and waiting.

"It doesn't matter what realm you're in. Girls are always evil." Renji mumbled. Mizuiro, Keigo, and even Chad nodded, understanding well the mystery that they called girls.

Rukia rolled her eyes. During the war, Tatsuki, Keigo, and Mizuiro were brought into the small circle of humans that knew about shinigami and Soul Society. It was easier to trust the three friends instead of constantly using Rukia's memory modifier. She was worried that prolonged use might have negative affects, especially considering Keigo and his…special-ness.

But now, away from the girls and Ichigo, Rukia was reconsidering her position on trusting these idiots.

The whole group arrived at the roof to find Ichigo sulking against the wall with his arms across his chest and his unruly hair covering his eyes. _'He's so cute when he's brooding.'_ Rukia thought with another eye roll. The door to the roof closed behind them signaling that they were alone and could speak freely.

"Oi Ichigo!" Renji yelled over to his friend. "When are you gonna greet me properly? I'm beginning to think I'm not welcome here" Renji crossed his arms, matching Ichigo's pose.

"Maybe you're not. I'm more in the mood to kick your ass!" Ichigo looked up and glared at Renji face to face.

Rukia sighed as she pulled Renji out of Ichigo's face and pushed him against the wall with Ichigo. She put herself between the growling boys. She could understand Ichigo being pissed off at Renji. Renji hadn't even been at school for an hour before embarrassing all three of them. But still, Rukia found Renji's presence comforting. Renji was familiar and from some place she understood. She still felt overwhelmed and was curious why Ichigo was upset over his reputation and not what she was preoccupied about. Ichigo never mentioned any worry about taking exams, or going to college, getting a job…starting a family. Maybe he never had plans for those types of things. That thought only made her feel guilty.

Rukia nudged Ichigo gently with her shoulder when he growled a little louder at Renji. She wasn't in the mood to knock sense into him, but he seemed to understand. He was actually a little put off by Rukia's quiet attitude. It wasn't like her. Ichigo looked down at Rukia.

"Would you like us to leave and give you some privacy Ichigo?" Keigo teased from a safe distance away from the brooding strawberry. "You, Kuchiki-san, and Abarai might have some unfinished business to attend to!" He gave Ichigo a thumbs up and narrowed his eyes saying, "I fully support threesomes, especially with your limited experience, although I must suggest replacing Abarai with Inoue!"

Keigo looked around for people to giggle with him, but apparently, no one else found his teasing as humorous as he did. Ishida and Ichigo looked the most miffed.

"You had us until you dragged Orihime into it." Tatsuki muttered. Perverted idiot would never learn.

"I don't think anyone is on your side up here Keigo." Chad spoke for the first time that morning.

Keigo glanced nervously around. "Mizuiro? Buddy?"

Mizuiro not being an idiot like Keigo and knowing he was no match for any of the very large men surrounding them, suddenly found a really magnificent pebble next to his foot to stare at. He whistled innocently, implying he wasn't going to get involved at all.

Keigo somehow appeared cowering behind Rukia. "You'll protect me from those brutes without senses of humor, won't you Kuchiki-san?!" He went to grab her in a hug, or maybe more of a grope, but Rukia calmly put up a fist to smack his face. Dealing with him was a lot like dealing with Kon.

"So Renji what brings you to the living world?" Tatsuki finally asked what brought the group to the rooftop in the first place.

"And when are you leaving?" Ichigo deadpanned.

"What a warm welcome I get…" Renji crossed his arms again and grumped. "Well you're just gonna have to get used to this handsome mug," Renji paused and smiled proudly. "because I'm on an extended vacation!"

"Why would anyone give you a vacation?" Ichigo asked with a side glance.

"Cause I'm a big time war hero that's why! What other reason do you need?" Renji almost looked offended.

"Were you just annoying Byakuya like you're annoying me?"

"Listen up you-"

Both Ichigo and Renji were beginning to press up against Rukia's tiny frame. _'Why am I always in the middle of these morons…?'_ She tried to change the subject.

"Did my brother send you to check up on me?" She asked Renji, trying hard not to sound accusing.

Renji stopped pushing against her and scratched his head looking towards the sky. "Well…not check up really. He didn't exactly say that, but he doesn't exactly say anything…I think he just wanted to know how you were doing. Make sure things were going good here. Oh!" Renji pulled some paper from his pocket. "And Ukitake-taicho sent me with the specifics of your orders."

Everyone stepped closer forming a circle around Renji as he read the note.

"So according to Ukitake-taicho your new role in the living world is to be Soul Society's Official Human Liaisons Commanding Officer."

Tatsuki whistled. Chad smiled and nodded.

"Fancy title Kuchiki-san." Keigo admired.

"Commanding officer huh? Sounds nice." Rukia said. Oh she could get used to that.

Ichigo leaned closer to Renji. "Hey, Renji, I think you read that wrong. It should say Demanding Officer right?"

Renji and Ichigo shared a snicker.

"Oi!" Rukia brought both hands up and smacked them simultaneously on the back of their heads. _'That's why I stand in the middle. The sake of leverage.'_

"Watch how you talk to the new Official Human Liaisons Commanding Officer, boy! I obviously outrank you!"

"Not me!" Renji cried out.

"Not yet." Rukia shot back.

"I don't even have a rank!" Ichigo said rubbing head.

Rukia smacked Ichigo again. "Which is why I outrank you!" She stood stiffly as if at attention and in a formal, commanding voice said, "Continue the report Abarai fuku-taicho."

Orihime giggled and the others laughed gently.

"Yeah, this isn't going to your head…" Ichigo mumbled. A little too loud though.

"Ow! Knock it off!" Both of his hands clutched the back of head and he nodded to Renji to continue reading.

"Well as the H. L. commander," Renji spoke in an official voice, going along with Rukia, "Ukitake-taicho says it's your duty to share your knowledge of humans and living world customs with Soul Society. Seems he convinced Old man Yamamoto to change his view regarding humans. And now it's in Soul Society's best interest to cooperate and learn their way of doing things so we can understand our comrades better."

Ishida snorted and tipped his glasses. "He's just trying to understand what makes Kurosaki tick."

Ichigo looked like he agreed but shrugged his shoulders lazily. "Well I'd rather have Rukia study me than that freak from the technology bureau."

"I'm sure we'd all love Rukia to-" Keigo stopped himself when a few fists hovered in front of his face.

"That's not what I meant you pervert! I'm not gonna let you keep hanging out with us if you keep that shit up!" Ichigo snarled. Rukia thought he looked a bit embarrassed too, but sometimes it was hard to tell his anger from his blush. Especially when he was doing both at the same time.

Keigo drooped. "No sense of humor…"

"Anyway…" Renji continued. "You'll be provided a permanent residence here in Karakura, it's already been set up, and it's your job to do weekly video communications for other shinigami. They might even make it a required class to attend for the academy."

Rukia took at step back at that information. That was a big change. "My own house?" she said out loud.

Ichigo looked surprised. "Why does Rukia have to move out?" He realized he forgot to act like he didn't care, and the group smirked at his obvious distress.

"Aww, are you going to miss me?" Rukia tried to look sweet and innocent, but couldn't hide her pleasure in making Ichigo squirm.

"Did I say why? Because I meant when!" he spat. Then Ichigo scratched the back of head and looked away with a shrug. "I'm only asking because the twins like having you around, and you keep them out of my business. Not to mention," Ichigo made eye contact and scowled, "I don't want to spend a lot of time going back and forth helping you to do stupid human stuff like opening a juice box!"

"I know how to open a juice box!" She yelled, dropping the sweet and innocent pretty quick. "But that's a great idea for my first class…" Rukia held her hands up in the air as if her words were visible in front of her, "Stupid human containers and how to defeat them."

"You don't defeat a juice box idiot!" Ichigo cried out.

Ishida sighed. Lunch break wasn't that long…"Was there anything else to Ukitake's orders Abarai?"

"Oh yeah…um…title…meetings…house…" Renji counted the points off on his fingers. "uhh…you don't have to get started until you settle into your new place. Oh, and Urahara has some stuff for you to help with your transition. I'm pretty sure that's it."

"Are you sure?" Ichigo stepped back and looked skeptically at Renji. "Maybe they should have sent someone else to give important information to Rukia."

"Hey watch it Kurosaki! I'm a respected lieutenant of the Gotei 13! I can handle delivering a simple message!"

"I've seen the piles of paperwork all over your desk! Not to mention your chicken scratch hand writing! Admit it! They just sent you here to hassle me! I'll bet Byakuya personally signed off on it!"

The boys squared off again. But before Rukia could stop them, Orihime grabbed her hands and started jumping up and down.

"Oh Kuchiki-san! It'll be so much fun having your own place! I live alone and I'm sure you'll love it! You can decorate it, eat whatever you want, and stay up late! You can watch soap operas while taking bubble baths as long as you please-"

At the mention of bubble baths, Keigo joined in Orihime's gleeful bouncing and Rukia discreetly slipped out of it.

"Oh yeah, it'll be great Kuchiki-san!" Keigo and Orihime didn't notice Rukia left the bouncing party. "You can invite over your girlfriends and have pillow fights in nighties!"

Tatsuki grabbed Keigo by the scruff of his shirt, ceasing the jumping up and down he was surely taking too much pleasure in. "None of us even own nighties Keigo!"

Orihime didn't notice the bouncing had stopped and only continued with her assessment of living alone. "The only bad part is that sometimes it gets lonely. That's why when I'm bored at home I like to imagine what would happen if aliens landed, so I draw up detailed plans of attack and let the pictures come alive to keep me company!"

"We don't want anything Rukia draws to come to life..." Ichigo said from a headlock Renji had put him in.

"Not even if it keeps her from being lonely?" Orihime asked.

Tatsuki lost interest in Keigo and dropped him. She smiled mischievously at Rukia. "Maybe you should just let Ichigo stay in _your_ closet this time!"

Ichigo pulled out of Renji's headlock and threw a glare at Rukia. She was the one who let it slip to their friends she used to live in his closet. Apparently he was still a little peeved about that.

Mizuiro spoke up, knowing if Tatsuki was in on the teasing, then Ichigo was fair game. "Don't say that out loud Tatsuki, you'll scare him off. We know how Ichigo is around girls."

"What the hell?! Cut it out!" Ichigo yelled.

"You're around friends Ichigo, don't worry so much. We don't care that you're a clueless virgin." Tatsuki replied bravely, knowing Ichigo couldn't take her on if he tried. Keigo laughed.

"Quit talking about stuff like that!!" Ichigo punched Keigo in the stomach.

"I didn't even say anything this time!" He whined from the ground.

Chad picked Keigo up and started walking towards the roof door. Mizuiro following his example, walked with them shaking his head sadly. "Poor Asano-kun."

"Don't call me that! I'm in pain here!" Keigo whined more as Chad shifted his body on his broad shoulders and glanced at Ishida, who seemed to take the hint.

Ishida spoke for Chad. "Well if we're done mocking Kurosaki and all shinigami business is settled, perhaps we can actually eat some lunch now."

"Yeah I'm starving." Tatsuki held her stomach. She waved a hand at Orihime. "Come on Orihime, we don't want to be caught on the roof with Ichigo and his friends, people will think we're part of his harem."

With no one to punch Ichigo threw his hands up in the air shouting, "You're being as bad as Keigo, Tatsuki!"

Orihime grabbed Ishida's arm and pulled him excitedly. "I made the best homemade pasta that you have to try Ishida-kun! Except instead of using noodles, I rolled up some beets with lime and garlic juice and of course, covered it in red bean paste!"

The pale Quincy turned an interesting shade of green.

"Ugh..um..I'm not really that hungry Inoue-san, but thank you so much for thinking of me." He tried pulling away from Orihime's grip, but found himself to be a lot weaker after that description.

"Nonsense!" Orihime stood behind Ishida and with her hands on his shoulders started pushing him out the door. "You're a growing boy, and growing boys need plenty of nutrients to help ward off the-"

The roof door shut leaving Rukia, Ichigo, and Renji alone, and still cringing from Orihime's menu.

"It's a good thing Inoue has healing powers." Renji grimaced. "I think Ishida's going to need them…"

"Yeah," Ichigo agreed with a sad face of understanding, then looked down at Rukia. "Just make sure you don't take any cooking tips from Inoue."

Rukia barely heard either of them. With the rest of their friends gone, and no more distractions, Rukia's worries about her new responsibilities took hold again. But she could break down the tasks if she had all the information she needed.

"Renji can you take us to my house before break is over? I really want to see where I'll be living from now on." She was the H. L. commanding officer, and she'd treat her home as a base of operations to conquer the human activity known as "senior" year. She could do this.

But Renji put her plans on hold and left that knot tied in her stomach. "It's actually pretty far outta the way." He saw the look of disappointment on her face. "Well…I haven't seen it myself, but I can take you there now if you _really_ want to."

"I thought you said it was pretty far." Ichigo asked.

"Well it's not like it'll be night by the time we get there!" Renji countered, sounding a bit annoyed.

"We have class to go to!" Ichigo said, equally annoyed.

Rukia realized they both wanted to cheer her up in their own way but they were both being idiots about it. As usual. She sighed and walked away from them to look at the students outside the school eating their lunch. They didn't seem stressed out or overworked. They looked like they always did.

"So. We can skip it." Renji argued with Ichigo.

"That's stupid! You came here for your vacation and decided to enroll in school just to skip it?! Why don't you just stay at Uraharas?!"

"There's nothing to do there but work! They'll make me sweep or something if I spend my days hanging around the shop. Besides," Renji pouted a little. "I'm sick and tired of being called a freeloader…stupid demon children…" Renji walked over to the rail next to Rukia. She looked at him trying to calm down before he and Ichigo got any more riled up. Renji leaned over to Rukia and in a comforting tone said, "We'll head straight to your new place after school."

After Rukia nodded, Renji smiled then winked before looking back to Ichigo with a smirk. "You win Ichigo! We'll wait until after school to go. Wouldn't want people to think we ran off together right?"

"I hate you so much." Ichigo said through gritted teeth.

Renji laughed, "It's so much more interesting coming to school. You people are crazy here."

Renji looked at the view with Rukia. His eyes lingered on the girls on the grass below. "The clothes you humans wear…" he mumbled.

Ichigo joined them on the rail on the other side of Rukia. He saw where Renji was looking. "You just came here to spy on chicks! You're making Keigo look like a saint!"

"Hey, shut up! I'm just appreciating the scenery!" He looked at Rukia. "I'm _here_ for Rukia."

Ichigo snarled at Renji, much like he snarled at anyone who sucked up to Rukia. She ignored them again and paid attention to her outfit. She shrugged and said, "I kinda like these clothes. The skirts aren't that bad, they could be worse." She pulled her skirt up a bit, the way some of her manga characters wore theirs.

Rukia didn't notice both guys drop their jaws.

Ichigo recovered first and smacked her hand away from lifting her skirt any further. "Don't hike up your skirt like that! What do you think you're doing?!"

"I'm just saying it could be worse!" She yelled back. "I'm not going to flash you or anything!"

Ichigo turned red. Ha. This time she caught him. And so did Renji. "I told Byakuya you wouldn't know what to do with a girl even if she spelled it out for you." He paled at his own statement and then said quickly, "Not that you would Rukia!"

Ichigo grunted. "Whatever. Let's just go downstairs and get something to eat before I lose control and throw one of you off this damn roof."

Rukia frowned as she started walking towards the door after Renji. She wanted to spend lunch learning about what "senior" year entails. Instead she was even more overwhelmed with having to prepare video meetings for Soul Society and the thought of moving out of Ichigo's house. Ichigo's home had become her home. She loved his family. If she was uprooted would that change the relationships she had forged with them? Certainly not with Ichigo…right?

"Hey." Ichigo put his hand on her shoulder and looked down at her with a small smile. Renji had just left the roof.

"Don't get stressed out about this college stuff. I'll explain everything to you later when we have time today. It's not such a big deal like everyone's making it out to be. I don't know what I'm going to do yet at all. People here are just excited, but this year's about preparing, you don't have to have everything figured out already. I'll help you out."

Rukia felt better already, and his large hand felt nice on her shoulder. She glanced up at Ichigo, with a smile tugging on her lips.

"Good. Because I was going to take it out on you if you screwed up my new position with Soul Society just because you were too lazy to explain something to me."

Ichigo smirked and let his hand run down Rukia's shoulder to the small of her back leading her off the roof. Rukia felt tingles all along the trail Ichigo had made. He didn't usually touch her gently unless she was bleeding from some wound. Rukia did a quick mental check, _'Nope, no gaping holes in my body, but I am feeling very very warm…' _She could get used to the warmth of his hand.

Ichigo seemed to be growing a little warm himself and noticed the sudden tenderness he was showing Rukia. Unsure of what to do, he went with his instincts, and quickly turned the caress into a stiff push. Violence was always his first instinct when it came to feeling embarrassed around Rukia.

He coughed and cleared his throat. "Come on. People will say stuff if we're up here alone like this."

Rukia cooled down considerably and started stomping down the steps, then she smirked and spoke loudly enough so that her voice would echo. "Oh, Ichigo, would you like me to call Renji back up here? I can leave you to-"

Ichigo shoved something random from his lunch into Rukia's mouth. Effectively shutting her up. She would have complained or hit him, but the idiot just gave her his dessert. _'Mmm…chocolate.'_ Ichigo's favorite. That was punishment enough.

"Damn it. That was my dessert wasn't it?"

* * *

_AN: Hahaha! Quick update huh? Well I didn't really think the last chapter was a good place to break the story for too long, but I didn't want a super long chapter by combining this one with it. So hopefully this chapter will give people something to review about!! I really like reviews by the way...like Rukia loves Chappy...you wouldn't keep Rukia from Chappy would you? That's right Lindsay, tug on their Rukia sympathies hahahaevilgigglehahaha._


	6. Upgrades

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. But I did use it in developing film today, woo hoo photography!_

* * *

Chapter 6: Upgrades

* * *

Immediately after school let out, Ichigo, Rukia, and Renji left to check out Rukia's new house. Ichigo wasn't sure how he felt about Rukia living on her own. Not that he didn't trust her, although he did expect some cooking mishaps…the girl couldn't even manage noodles most of the time, but really he just couldn't wrap his mind around not having Rukia in the same house as him. He'd gotten so used to her being a part of the family. He wasn't kidding earlier when he said the twins liked having her around. Yuzu adored Rukia and treated her like an older sister. Even Karin who was skeptical of everyone, especially Ichigo's friends, had taken a liking to Rukia. Neither of them seemed to mind that Rukia wasn't even technically human. Karin had said, "She's more human than you are idiot." Ichigo's father, who he expected knew a lot more about shinigami than he let on, had been calling Rukia his third daughter. Most likely because it pissed Ichigo off, but Ichigo also knew his dad genuinely cared about Rukia in that way. But most importantly, Ichigo was…damn…he was going to miss having Rukia around. Who would watch over her if she lived by herself? He'd have to make the trek daily to keep an eye on her, and her house was pretty far.

"Jeez Renji," Ichigo groaned, giving voice to some of his less private thoughts, "Where the hell are they trying to hide Rukia? I think we're about to hit the freaking ocean."

The area around them was more rural than residential. There weren't any houses nearby, only the dirt road they were walking on that seemed to lead towards the woods that surrounded part of Karakura. There was a field a little ways off and it would have been a nice area to have a picnic or survey the town if they hadn't been walking for so long already. It would have made more sense to go into shinigami mode if Rukia's house was this far out of the way.

"Quit complaining." Renji continued to strut in front of Ichigo and Rukia leading the way. "It's just on the outside of town…I think…"

Ichigo stopped. "What the hell do you mean, 'you think'?!" His arm rose threateningly towards Renji. "If we're lost, so help me I-"

"Is that it Renji?" Rukia grabbed Ichigo's arm and used it to point to a small driveway that was almost hidden from the road by trees arching over it and casting a dark shadow.

"Uh. Yeah…probably." Renji grinned and shrugged as they walked towards the driveway. The drive was barely a car's width wide and wild shrubbery grew along the sides making it difficult to see if there was actually a house in front of them.

Ichigo looked over at Rukia who seemed to perk up considerably as they got closer to the house.

"Oh! A rabbit!" Rukia cried out pointing to a fuzzy tail that popped back behind a bush. She was definitely perky. Ichigo could practically see little hearts bubble up around her head. "I'm going to live in a house surrounded by little Chappies! This isn't going to be as bad as I thought."

"If you don't mind the two day hike it'll take to get you here…" Ichigo muttered. He didn't care how many "little Chappies" surrounded the house. Hell, it could be made of the fuzzy things, he still wasn't sold on Rukia living by herself.

After a few yards the trees, weeds, and bushes opened up to a large clearing revealing a two story house.

If you could call it that.

"That's…" Rukia started, the little hearts Ichigo imagined, popped and crashed into the dirt.

"Oh…maybe this isn't…no this is it…" Renji mumbled. He looked a little guilty. He didn't pick the place, but he felt responsible since he was the one who lead the three of them there.

Ichigo put his foot down and said flat out. "You're not staying here Rukia."

The house was more like a pile of driftwood pulled together in the shape of a hollowed out box. All of the windows were open with random forest creatures going in and out of them. The roof was covered in so much moss it looked like a deck with a lawn. The stairs leading up to the porch were actually pointing straight up looking like jagged rocks.

It looked just plain evil.

"Who approved of this place as a house?" Ichigo directed his question towards Renji, but he was pretty sure the guy wouldn't have a clue.

"I don't know." Renji shrugged but couldn't take his eyes off of the monstrosity that could actually harbor some monsters. "Ukitake-taicho sent the orders through, but I'm not sure if he made all of the arrangements." He scratched his head. "But it's not like Soul Society has a currency exchange rate with the living world. This was probably all they could get."

Ichigo looked over to Rukia. She'd been down all day and just when she'd gotten excited about having her own Homeless Chappy Shelter, she got…this. Ichigo felt better about accidentally force feeding her his dessert earlier. She could use the pick-me-ups. But her face wasn't showing the signs of, "I'm going to kill Renji for making us walk all this way for nothing." She was showing her, "my life is full of shit like this, I'll get over it like I do everything else" look of determination.

No matter how fragile she looked, Rukia was the strongest person he knew. Ichigo actually felt a grin tug on his mouth. But it quickly slipped into a scowl when he realized she was actually thinking about staying in that dump.

"Oi! Rukia!" He called out to her. Trying to break up whatever plan of attack she was forming in her head. "You can't stay there. If you're trying to live like a human, then you should know, no sane, normal person would live there."

Rukia rolled her eyes. "Stop being lazy Ichigo! It just needs some sprucing up." Ichigo and Renji looked to each other in shock.

"Rukia…"Renji started, "Listen to Ichigo...never thought I'd say that…but there isn't enough sake in Kyoraku-taicho's stash to make that place look presentable."

"Well luckily it doesn't need sake Renji. It just needs some work put into it." Rukia turned toward Ichigo with her hands on her hips. "Ichigo, you know how to fix up a house right?"

"What?!" Ichigo's yell sent a flock of birds out of the dilapidated structure. He gazed incredulously at Rukia. "You expect me to fix this piece of crap?"

"You said you would help me." Rukia said with a blank face.

"Yeah, but this is beyond help Rukia!" Ichigo grabbed her hand and lead her closer to the house. He walked up to the porch and easily lifted the whole rail off of the mangled steps. He pointed the piece of wood at Rukia as evidence. "The only thing this is good for is kindling." He shook his head and threw the rail back into the pile of rubble Rukia was considering moving into. Running his hand through his hair he said, "We'll just have to think of something else. We could rent you an apartment. I'm sure my da-"

"No Ichigo!" Rukia glared at him and Renji who was nodding along with his suggestions. "If I'm going to live as a human then I'm going to do it right! I'm not going to have things handed to me." She crossed her arms and stood defiantly in front the two boys. "I'm a shinigami first Ichigo. I work hard to reach my goals and don't accept charity. I've been living off of your family for too long now. If this is my house, then this is my house and I'll work on it until it's something any respectable human would be proud of."

Ichigo sighed. She was stubborn. She looked a little sexy standing up to him with that fierce look in her eyes, but it still pissed him off. _'Turns me on, pisses me off. She's like a fucking light switch…'_ Ichigo opened his mouth, wanting to argue, at least try to convince otherwise, but Renji spoke before he could.

"She's right Ichigo."

Ichigo sagged. "Renji? You can't be serious."

Renji stood beside Rukia who was now appraising the house like it was a hollow about to be defeated. "She's right. Shinigami aren't handed anything in life. Especially shinigami who worked their way out of Rukongai." Renji smiled down at Rukia with a knowing look that she returned. "Rukia's conquered every other thing in the living world, this is just one more obstacle to overcome. That's why Ukitake named her the Human Liaisons Commanding Officer. She's got a duty to do." They smiled broadly at each other and Ichigo almost upchucked.

Renji was playing the Rukongai card. As close as Ichigo and Rukia were and as well as they knew each other, Renji would always have that place to go back to. Renji had Rukia's childhood and the life they'd lived where they only had each other to rely on. Ichigo hated thinking that there was a part of Rukia that he couldn't touch.

But he wasn't going to dwell on things in the past he couldn't change. If he let them share a moment and smile broadly at each other for any longer he was going to send off enough heat to actually set that pile of lumber to ash.

"You and you're shinigami duty." He said loudly, breaking whatever spell Renji and Rukia were caught in. "Whatever." He pulled up close next to Rukia with his hands in his pockets and his head turned away from her. "I'll help you fix that crap shack you call a house. But it's gonna take a lot of fucking work and you're not going to stick all of it on me. Got it?"

Ichigo turned to face Rukia and was taken aback by her warm smile.

"Thank you Ichigo."

He smirked and then snorted. "I told ya you'd be lost without me."

"So how much work are we talking about here?" Renji asked kicking some of the debris around the house.

Ichigo scratched his head and looked around the building and the area it was in. "Well…I guess it's gonna need new lumber first off. Fix the stairs, the walls, patch up some holes. Get new windows. Paint. Major tools…we might have to hire someone." He looked over to Rukia again. "It actually might get pretty expensive."

Rukia shrugged. "I'll do what humans do then. I'll just get a job."

Neither Renji or Ichigo could hold back their obvious amusement.

Rukia rounded on the two of them. "What's so funny? You think I can't work?"

"No! No!" Renji waved his hands defensively. "I'm sure you can work, but…what would you do…?"

"He's saying annoying twerps without any clue about anything are a dime a dozen in the working world." Ichigo stated boldly. Before Rukia could punch him, he continued. "You're great at being a shinigami, but putting kidou on your resume won't get you anywhere."

"Even Hanatarou and Ganju got jobs here!" Rukia declared. "Surely I'm more adept to the living world than they are."

That was true.

"It's just something else I'll have to do." Rukia let out a frustrated sigh. "Maybe it's not as bad as it looks…we haven't even looked inside it yet." She started towards the door of the house, but Ichigo grabbed her arm and held her back.

"I don't think that place can handle you're weight, let alone mine or Renjis. We should just wait until we start fixing it up." Ichigo said not trusting the structure to last the night.

Still allowing Ichigo to hold her back Rukia offered, "Well maybe it's like that phrase; 'You can't judge a manga by it's cover art'."

"Jeez, you would say that." Ichigo sighed. He really needed to take her to a library. She was probably at the limit of manga reading that any one person should be at.

Renji walked over to the two and removed Ichigo's arm from Rukia who wasn't even struggling against it. Ichigo hadn't even realized he was still holding her back.

"Forget going inside Rukia." Renji said and he threw a thumb back over his shoulder. "We still have to go to Urahara's place. He's got some stuff for you and maybe he'll help out with some of his crazy experiments or somethin'."

Ichigo and Rukia nodded and started walking away from Rukia's future home and back towards the rest of town and Urahara's shop.

"I hope we make it before nightfall." Ichigo muttered.

"Maybe they'll have some dinner…" Renji thought out loud. A loud grumble from his stomach seconded that thought.

"Hey Ichigo," Rukia spoke looking up towards his face. "Can you tell me the specifics about senior year now?"

"Sure, we've got hours to discuss it." Ichigo narrowed his eyes at Renji who just huffed and picked up his pace. Ichigo and Rukia heard Renji grumble to himself as he got further away from them.

"Lucky I just don't leave my fucking gigai with you…if it weren't so hard to get in and out of…noodles…" He was out of earshot.

"Well Rukia," Ichigo started. He walked beside her and laced his fingers behind his head with his elbows sticking out. "The only reason senior year is special is because it's the last year of high school. Like a last hurrah before kids leeching off their parents have to start doing shit on their own." He cast his eyes down to glance at her and she nodded, signaling for him to continue.

"Since it's the last year of high school, everyone has to prepare to go to college. It's just another four more years of school, but this time it won't be free. We have to pay more and work harder to get into a good college. At college we can get a stupid little piece of paper saying we're smarter than people who don't have that piece of paper, so we deserve a higher paying job. Still got me so far?"

Ichigo heard Rukia give a small laugh before she said, "If there's anything Soul Society knows, it's paperwork."

Ichigo laughed with her. "Well then senior year should be a breeze for you."

There was a pause when Rukia shifted her eyes from Ichigo to the ground watching her feet move along the pavement. "What are your plans Ichigo?" She asked the question a bit softly. "What do you want to do with your little piece of paper?"

Ichigo shrugged with his hands still on his head. "I really haven't thought about it that much. And don't even try blaming yourself or anything stupid like that." He said quickly. "I just really don't know yet. Most people don't. Senior year is when people start thinking about it and make decisions." Ichigo looked at Rukia and she was smirking, so he continued knowing she wasn't feeling guilty like she looked earlier.

"I get good grades in school and so do you…somehow…so getting into a good college should be easy for us. Most colleges offer a lot of different options, so even if we pick different careers we can still go to the same school. Maybe I'll just become a doctor like my dad. Most doctors get paid really well so you might not even need a job to help me with our bills. We'll just start saving now and cut back on your mangas. Then we'll get a nice house, maybe a car, probably some Chappy crap for you, everything should be affordable between the two of us." Ichigo started to smirk at Rukia. "See, there's no reason for you to get worried, we'll be f..ine..Rukia?"

She had stopped walking a few feet back and was standing still watching him.

He thought his assessment of senior year and college would ease Rukia's worries, but she just stared at him with wide eyes. He let his arms drop. How did he mess things up? Ichigo sighed and walked back towards her as Rukia continued to stare at him.

"It's the shinigami pride thing right?" He assumed. "I'm not saying you can't have a job. I'm just saying that if I'm a doctor and make enough money, then you won't have to have a job. I can cover our expenses. You'll probably be really busy doing your Human Liaisons stuff and by then, you'll probably have to start teaching classes at the shinigami academy too. I'm being freaking considerate." He was starting to get annoyed with her. Maybe he should start taking shinigami custom classes to understand what was going through her thick skull.

"It's not that Ichigo." Rukia spoke up, but a bit slowly and unsure. "It-it…it's just that you seem to have the future mapped out pretty well…" She appraised Ichigo's eyes looking for some kind of realization, so she wouldn't have to say it out loud.

He shrugged confused at what she looked so surprised about. He rose his arms questioningly. "You freaking asked me what my plans were! What the hell were you expecting?" He rose up a hand and starting counting off on his fingers. "We go to college, we get jobs, we make money, we buy things like a house and car, we live. That's what humans do Rukia. I'm sure we'll fight some hollows along the way, but neither the living world or Soul Society pay us for that. Sorry if human life is boring for you."

Rukia rose an eyebrow at him. Looking at him like he was the idiot who wasn't understanding something.

"What?! Did I forget something?! We'll get a freaking rabbit okay! Is that it? Our house will be filled with stupid little fluffy things hopping around! Happy now? Quit looking at me like I'm speaking Latin or something!" Ichigo yelled and clenched his fists at his side. He leaned down to her face to yell a little louder, but she finally opened her mouth to give him a real answer.

"Quit yelling at me you fool! I was just surprised that you not only have _your_ life planned out, but _mine_ as well! I didn't know _we _would be going to college, getting a house and living _our _lives with little Chappies! I was just surprised you jerk!"

Ichigo's angry face fell fast. He didn't realize he'd said "we" the whole time. He was just voicing what his plans were spur of the moment. His mouth fell open to say something, but no words came out. He didn't know what to say to her. He probably looked exactly like she did when he first started talking about "their" plans.

"How awkward you two look just standing there!" A tall blonde man peered at the couple from behind a fan.

"Urahara!" Ichigo and Rukia cried out in surprise. They didn't know he was standing there, let alone they were in front of his shop.

"Kisuke," his partner in crime, Yoruichi, leaned against him with an elbow on his shoulder. "I think you just interrupted a private moment between those two." She grinned mischievously showing little cat-like fangs. "Kinda loud…but private none the less."

"Oh did I?" Urahara asked in a tone spoken too innocently. And he waved his fan delicately in front of his face.

Renji came out onto the porch where the two former captains were tormenting the younger generation with a large bowl of noodles in his hand. He slurped loudly and followed that with a burp, "I was going to tell you guys we were here, but I thought you were talking about something important…and I smelled dinner." He stopped stuffing his face for a second and finally noticed the humiliated faces of Rukia and Ichigo, and the wide grins of Yoruichi and Urahara. He looked back and forth. "Did I walk in on something?" He asked clueless.

"Oh you just interrupted us from interrupting Rukia and Ichigo's Kodak moment." Yoruichi said offhandedly.

"Can I charge them for that?" Urahara scratched his chin in thought. A bop on the head from Yoruichi answered him.

"No we…were…" Ichigo looked to Rukia for help and realized she was the reason he was embarrassed in the first place.

Yoruichi waved a hand of dismissal. "Oh who cares what we did or didn't interrupt. It's nice enough that you two finally came to visit us." She scolded.

"Eh." Ichigo scratched his head. "Sorry, school started and we've been busy."

"Oh yes, you two did look a bit busy…" Urahara waved his fan again. This time Rukia came up to him and pushed the fan into his face hard.

"That isn't any way to address Soul Society's new Human Liaisons Commanding Officer!" She tried to cover her annoyance with an air of authority, but everyone in the immediate proximity knew her a bit too well.

"Oh yeah, I heard about that from Soi Fong. She said that you-" A yellow blur flew past Yoruichi's purple hair straight to Rukia's unsuspecting form.

"NEEEEEE-SAAAAN!!!" Kon just about dived into Rukia's…valley of loveliness…but luckily Ichigo's reflexes were a few milliseconds faster and he grabbed Kon's tail in midair.

"When are you going to stop being such a pervert?!" Ichigo asked throwing Kon to the ground and stomping the naughty thoughts out of him. This was the exact reason Kon was staying with Urahara in the first place. As soon as Ichigo realized his sisters were hitting puberty, he didn't want Kon anywhere near them, let alone under the same roof. So Kon was sent packing to Urahara's shop with a special Soul Society pager in case Ichigo needed his body taken care of. It was a win-win situation in Ichigo's opinion. He didn't have Kon bugging him or Rukia for that matter, at home and he didn't have to tote around a stuffed animal in public anymore. Kon was the only one not exactly fond of the situation and his very vocal objections were the main contributing factor to the less than frequent visits.

"If you wanted him to stop being perverted you shouldn't have sent him to Urahara…"Renji muttered.

"Whatever are you talking about Abarai-san?" Urahara asked innocently.

Ichigo, who was satisfied with a last strangled squeak from Kon, started walking into the shop. "Let's just get this over with. We still have homework to do."

Everyone congregated around Urahara's table, Renji enjoying a second helping of noodles since Jinta wasn't around to hassle him. Urahara had sent the two children and Tessai on a paid vacation during the summer as thanks for helping him around the shop for so long. It was Yoruichi's suggestion.

"So what did you have for me Urahara?" Rukia asked after finishing her bowl.

"Aha!" Urahara stood proudly and presented a small stage complete with red curtain. "I want to present to you all, and especially our special guest, Soul Society's first Commanding Officer of the Human Liaisons unit, my newest and possibly my best invention!"

He extravagantly pulled back the curtain, "Ta da!"

Everyone blinked. And leaned very far forward to see a small pink pill taking center stage.

"Eh…is that for a new gigai?" Ichigo asked.

"Not just any new gigai!" Urahara held up his fan in exclamation. "Rukia, be a dear and give this little pill a swallow."

Rukia glanced skeptically to Ichigo and Renji, both of whom shrugged in response. Rukia sighed and stood up deciding to willingly play guinea pig for Urahara. She got up on the small stage that Urahara had apparently constructed just for moments like this and picked up the pill. She looked at the small crowd in front of her. Ichigo was a bit nervous. Urahara's experiments didn't always have the best results...ahem, the Winter War…the hogyoku, but at least this time Rukia was aware that she was a guinea pig.

"Don't I have to get out of this gigai first?" she asked, still a bit wary even after volunteering.

Urahara just smiled calmly. "Nope. Go ahead. It's even strawberry flavored since I knew you'd be my first vict-err...customer!"

Ichigo twitched and Rukia rolled her eyes. "Alright. Here goes…"

Ichigo watched with bated breath as Rukia dramatically tossed the pill up in the air to catch it into her mouth. He snorted. She could always get a job in theatre if it came to that. He saw Rukia's throat move as she swallowed and he expected a Rukia in shinigami clothes to pop out of her body. Instead…nothing happened. Rukia stood there.

"Tasty." She said.

Renji jerked back. Obviously expecting something like Ichigo had. "What's the big idea Urahara? Nothing happened."

Urahara just smiled again. "Rukia my dear, would you please oblige me by smacking some manners into your red haired comrade?"

"Oi ! I was just-" Renji began before Rukia stepped up and whapped her friend in the head like she normally did.

Although the way he smashed through several walls and landed outside the shop feet from the porch was not normal at all.

"Renji!" Ichigo and Rukia cried out. They ran outside passing through the giant Renji-shaped holes the walls to find their friend lying on the ground looking completely out of it.

"Are you alright?!" Rukia gasped and knelt next to Renji who was finally collecting himself.

"What. The. Fuck. Was that?!" Renji cried out still on the ground. Urahara and Yoruichi stood in the new doorway to the shop. He was smiling behind his fan. She was looking at him in a disapproving manner.

"I think you should have warned Rukia about the upgrades you made…"

"What kind of upgrades did you put in that little pink pill?" Ichigo asked as he and Rukia helped Renji back into the shop to sit at the table again.

Urahara took the stage after they were settled again and took Rukia's arm to show her off.

"This is my fantastic new gigai which offers almost complete synchronization with its shinigami inhabitant. It's specially designed for comfort and functionality for users requiring a gigai for long periods of time." Urahara modeled Rukia and spun her around a little bit. "As you can see, it shows the same Rukia we all know and love, anatomically correct of course," He winked at the boys who were now blushing." Rukia just about elbowed Urahara, but he caught her in time. "Tsk tsk Kuchiki-san!" He waved his fan at her. "I don't have time to repair all the walls in my humble home!" He showed her off again. "This gigai is enhanced with almost the same strength and firepower as you would find in shinigami form. It's also able to grow and age in appearance as any normal human would without hindering the vitality of the shinigami inside." Everyone's eyes widened at that.

"You mean she won't look like a 12-year-old forever?" Ichigo asked and then braced himself.

Rukia narrowed her eyes, but didn't say anything and instead looked to Urahara for confirmation. He nodded and added, "Actually, that leads me to one of my proudest achievements, suggested by the beautiful Yoruichi…and that shinigami from the 11th squad with the strange eyebrows that rival Abarai's, that this gigai has cosmetic features as well. We wouldn't want to represent shinigami as old folks with wrinkles and grey hairs would we?" He motioned to Rukia. "Concentrate your spiritual energy on…let's say your hair. Perhaps a trim? A bit of color? Anything you want."

Rukia looked apprehensively at Urahara, but then thought a moment. She ran her fingers through her hair and found it lengthening around her fingers. Her hair ran past her shoulders and stopped growing when she let go.

"Whoa…"Ichigo and Renji said in unison. Renji jumped up and onto the stage with Rukia. He ran his fingers through her hair, staring unbelievingly. "It's real!" He gasped. "And soft."

Ichigo jumped on the stage with him and swatted his hand away from stroking Rukia. "Of course it's real you idiot! Urahara wouldn't gloat over some spiritually enhanced wig!" He looked away real quick and ran his fingers through Rukia's hair himself. It _was_ really soft.

"So can it change anything physical?" Renji asked Urahara.

"What exactly are you trying to say?" Rukia asked with the hint of a threat in her voice.

Renji and Ichigo tried really hard not to dart their eyes to Rukia's..err…elephant in the room, so to speak.

"Are you making fun of my height?" Rukia naively asked.

"Yes." Both boys said instantly. Ichigo thought Rukia was beautiful. Annoyingly and distractingly beautiful. And he knew he wasn't the only one who thought that way, but if Rukia had any short comings…well it was obvious to any heterosexual man what it or rather, they were. But luckily Ichigo and Renji had enough sense not to say any of that out loud. Kon on the other hand…

"Nee-san don't listen to these unworthy assholes! Your pillows aren't the biggest or the jiggliest, but they are perfect mounds of-"

"Kon!" Ichigo and Renji tried to save the poor bastard, but Rukia's fist went right through his stuffed head, knocking his pill form right into the now broken floorboards. Ichigo made a mental note to ask Ishida to fix him later.

"Um..." Urahara decided to answer the original question quickly in order to change the subject sooner. His shop couldn't afford the type of damage this line of conversation would lead to. "No. This function of the gigai is strictly to keep our shinigami looking as if they were aging gracefully. Wrinkles, hair color, and simple things that human over the counter products could fix. Rukia's…height wouldn't change. And of course who would want to change anything about this lovely young woman?! Certainly not her temperament…" Urahara muttered that last bit.

Rukia had crossed her arms over her chest a bit embarrassed, but mostly pissed off. "Yes it's amazing Urahara. I can really feel my strength now that I'm in here. And it's actually quite comfortable, as if I'm not even in a gigai. But I have a few questions. What about when I go into shinigami form? How do I do it? And will there be something to take care of my body?"

Ichigo cringed. He hoped getting rid of that horrible Chappy mod soul would be an enhancement that Urahara included. Urahara nodded, "Ah yes, another ingenious contribution on my part. There is no actual faux body to leave behind." Everyone arched their eyebrows impressed. Leaving bodies behind was incredibly troublesome. Ichigo noticed that Renji was especially intrigued.

Urahara continued. "Yes with the synchronization technology I've included, the gigai is absorbed into the shinigami form and vice versa, which is why you didn't need to go back into your original form when you first swallowed the pill. To switch back and forth you need only to focus your reiatsu. However the gigai and shinigami soul are still separate enough so that both can never be destroyed at the same time and the gigai still performs it's original purpose to allow the shinigami's soul time to heal when wounded in battle."

Renji whistled. "Where can I get one of those?" Urahara just laughed.

"I'm afraid this invention is a bit much for you Freeloader-san." And Renji frowned at the return of his nickname.

"That's my last question," Rukia ignored Renji's pouting, "how much is all this going to cost me?"

Urahara perked before Yoruichi flicked him with long fingers. He opened his fan to hide streaming tears and stuttered out, "I-it-it's ab-ab-ab-solutely…free." Urahara hung his head defeated. This was another suggestion from Yoruichi. She'd been trying to appeal to his more charitable side lately. Especially after all the trouble he had caused.

"We heard about your situation with your bachelorette pad." Yoruichi spoke up. "Living on your own is going to be fun." She winked at the other female. "Especially during college. I've heard some wild stories-"

"Was there anything else Yoruichi?" Ichigo was getting tired. This day seemed to never end and was only getting worse by the minute. He saw Rukia's face and knew she was feeling the same way.

"Yeah." Yoruichi looked to Urahara who seemed to cry a little harder. She rolled her eyes and reached into his robes to pull out a packet. She handed it to Ichigo. "That's a little starter pack for Rukia." It was full of money. "It's not much," Yoruichi continued, seeing as how Urahara wasn't going to have any part in the matter of giving away his hard earned cash. "but it's the most we can spare and it should get Rukia started. It should cover basic furnishings as well as most of the construction costs."

"So you've seen the dump?" Renji asked.

This brought a smile to Urahara's face. He put down his fan. "It won't be a dump when I'm finished with it!"

Ichigo sighed. Finally some help they could really use. "So you can help build it?"

"Oh no!" Urahara and Yoruichi shook their heads fast. "I'm not a manual labor kind of man! I just mean that when it's done," he exchanged a sly look with Yoruichi. "I have a few things planned that will make my shop look like a simpleton designed it."

"Well thank you for all your help Urahara." Rukia said sincerely. "It really is more than I could have or would have asked for."

Urahara gently put a hand on her shoulder. "It really is the least I could do."

Yoruichi snickered. "He's not being modest Rukia."

Ichigo spoke up as politely as he could, which wasn't very. "Well any help is better than none. We still have to find someone to fix up the house, get Rukia a job, not to mention, we _still_ have homework to do and it's getting late."

"We get it, we get it," the purple haired woman waved her hand at Ichigo. "You're grateful but want to get out of here as soon as possible." She started ushering Ichigo and Rukia out of the house and then turned back to Renji. "I assume you'll be freeloading here?"

Renji groaned and hung his head, then with a smile he looked up and said, "Well, at least until Rukia's house is complete."

Ichigo balked at that jerk's cocky assumption. "What the hell are you talking about? You're not staying with Rukia!" He jumped into Renji's face, ready to forcefully put some sense into his head.

Renji just shrugged looking sure of himself. "Rukia's going to have her own place, and it definitely looks big enough for the two of us."

Ichigo just about ripped the grin from the red-pineapple's face before Rukia interjected.

"What makes you think I want you freeloading off of me?" Renji sagged and Ichigo "ha'd".

"Rukia!" Renji pleaded. "We grew up together!"

Rukia just shook her head. "I'm sorry Renji, but I'm not in the position to support anyone other than myself right now. As an independent human woman, I will not allow any man to leech off of my success."

"Damn right!" Yoruichi shouted. Urahara looked at her with a quirked eyebrow.

"I suppose that doesn't work the other way around does it?" He asked, not really expecting an answer.

"Nope!" Yoruichi and Rukia grinned.

"It's called chivalry." Rukia said matter of factly. "Human males are bound by custom to extend a hand to any woman in need, but not the other way around."

"Is that what you're gonna tell the female shinigamis in your class? What mangas have you been reading?" Ichigo asked with a frown. "There's this thing called feminism…never mind." He thought it was better not to introduce that concept to Rukia or Yoruichi.

"I could give some people in Soul Society a call." Renji piped up. "They might be able to help out with the building, and Ikkaku and the guys are always begging for a reason to come to the living world."

"Thanks Renji. That would really help." Rukia said.

"So could I stay then?"

"No."

"You wish." Ichigo muttered.

"You do too." Renji muttered back

"We'll see you two soon!" Urahara called out as Ichigo pulled Rukia away and started walking home. He could hear Renji begging Urahara for a gigai like Rukia's and Urahara saying he'd charge the freeloader an arm and a leg, literally, if he kept asking.

When Ichigo and Rukia were far enough away from Renji's desperate pleading that the night air was filled with silence, Ichigo let out a heavy sigh. He was glad to finally be alone with Rukia. The day had been the most stressful day he'd experienced since the war had ended. He felt calm being in just Rukia's presence. When they were alone he could breathe easier, his muscles relaxed, as did his usual scowl. Ichigo had the strongest urge to reach out and touch her until he remembered what they had been talking about as they arrived at Uraharas. He stole a glance to see if Rukia had been thinking about what he said earlier. She wasn't. She looked as relaxed as she could be considering the day they had. He realized she'd been forgiving a lot of the stupid things he'd been saying recently. She didn't tease him or hold it over his head later. She was acting normal. Everything was normal between them. And as much as he liked it and had been wishing for this kind of interaction since the war ended, he found himself quickly growing tired of it. Maybe he was ready for a little change.

He walked a bit closer to Rukia and his arm brushed against hers. She didn't react or move away from him. Ichigo took a hand from his pocket, clenching and releasing his fist. His hand hovered over hers as they walked together. _'Just do it. Don't be scared. It's just Rukia.' _His hand moved closer to hers and she looked up at him. He jerked his hand back and looked at her feeling caught and slightly guilty.

"Ichigo," Rukia started slowly.

He gulped. He was an idiot. What was he thinking trying to hold her hand? "Yeah?" He asked, trying not to let his voice sound as strangled as he felt.

"Will you help me with my math homework tonight?"

He let out a breath. "Yeah sure Rukia." She was looking down at the ground. He rose an eyebrow. "Were you afraid I'd say no or something?"

Rukia let out her own sigh. "No. I just feel like I've been asking a lot of you lately." She looked up to his eyes. "And I know I'm going to be asking a lot more in the future."

Ichigo twitched at the mention of the word 'future', still remembering earlier, but instead said, "What about that whole, guys are supposed to be chivalrous and bend to the whim of women everywhere?" He smirked.

Rukia smiled back. "You believed me back there? Maybe I should be an actress. That pays well right?"

Ichigo laughed a bit and rolled his eyes. "Let's just concentrate on getting your homework done and getting into college before you throw it all away for a career in acting."

They neared home and Rukia started up the sidewalk to the front door ahead of Ichigo. Before she could grab the handle, Ichigo jumped in front of her and opened the door for her. He gave a deep bow, and said in a overly dramatic tone, "Ladies first."

Rukia laughed and playfully shoved Ichigo away. For the second time that day he landed in the bushes. Bushes about three houses down from his own house.

"Sorry!" Rukia called from the doorframe. "Gotta get used to this new gigai!"

Ichigo stood up grumbling and thought about a form of revenge that included Rukia's Chappy doll and his zanpukuto, but stopped suddenly. "What am I doing?" Ichigo shouted angrily to himself. Last night he was inches from kissing Rukia and opted instead to hit her with a book. Then today he was prattling off about how they'd spend their future together, but he couldn't even hold her hand when she was right next to him. Ichigo glared at the ground as if it were the sidewalk's fault he was a coward and a fool when it came to Rukia. He'd thought he wanted things to be normal after the war was over, but really…he was just scared. He was scared to take things further, to take things where he wanted them to go.

Ichigo was scowling and deep in self-deprecating thoughts when he came to his house again. He stood in front of the door that was slightly ajar, and he heard Rukia and his family talking loudly and fighting playfully. He didn't want to spend his time finding ways to get back at the little midget anymore. And he was definitely tired of his friends calling him a prude and…a virgin. _'I'm not even gonna go there yet. Let's just concentrate on holding her hand for now.' _Ichigo took a deep breath to form his resolve. "Okay, I'm ready now." He said to himself, but Rukia heard him and grabbed his hand yanking him inside.

"About time Strawberry!" Rukia dragged Ichigo up the stairs holding textbooks in her other arm, completely unaware of his less than innocent thoughts about being alone with her in his bedroom.

'_Keigo would be proud.'_ Ichigo thought snidely. But instead he teased, asking, "Are you sure Urahara didn't put a calculator inside that enhanced gigai of yours?"

Rukia stopped pulling for a second and seemed to actually think the concept over. "Hmm…I wouldn't put it past him to hide something like that on my own body. Guess I'll just have to do some exploring."

Ichigo widened his eyes and gulped. Thinking like a normal perverted teenage guy was going to kill him.

"Maybe after our homework," Rukia began, as she shut the door behind them and then plopped onto his bed, "We'll figure out what else this gigai has to offer."

Oh dear lord, he didn't know what he was getting into…

* * *

_AN: Long chapter huh? But it's probably my favorite so far. Hmm...do I smell some fluff? Does fluff have a smell? Well whatever, enjoy! And review of course!_


	7. Memories

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. But maybe they'd let me borrow it..._

* * *

Chapter 7: Memories

* * *

The day was exhausting, Rukia was exhausted, but she and Ichigo still had homework to do. She felt better earlier when she and Ichigo had been walking home from Urahara's. She always felt calmer when she and Ichigo were alone. She drew strength from him and felt at ease around him. But now, with math homework to do, she felt as if she were surrounded with stupid numbers, and letters representing numbers, and lines that became shapes when she wasn't looking, and she felt frustrated again. With every math problem she struggled to work through, she thought of everything else that was piling up that she still had to deal with. Her house, finding a job, tests, college, shinigami stuff. She wanted to try out her gigai, but she really didn't need a hollow right now. She cursed herself for even saying anything about a hollow appearing. She hoped jinxes were just a stupid human conjecture, like the Easter bunny. _'What a cruel joke that was.'_ She remembered how upset she was when she found out that there wasn't actually a giant Chappy that came around delivering chocolate.

When a particularly evil math problem arose, Rukia accidentally snapped the pencil she was writing with in frustration. "Damn it!" she yelled out. Ichigo didn't even twitch, let alone look at her. He'd barely looked at her since she sat on his bed with her math textbook open in front of her and her notebook on her lap. Ichigo was sitting at his desk with his history text open. Rukia had finished her history work at school, but was left with her math to do, and with Ichigo the situation was reversed. Normally that actually helped both of them get done faster, and Ichigo had helped her grasp the concept of the homework, but by the 500th problem she was fed up.

"In what universe do letters become numbers?! This is ridiculous and a waste of time! And, I'm pretty positive by now, that I _don't_ have a calculator attached to my gigai." Rukia pouted just a small bit. "If it does, then it's broken and I want my money back."

"Your gigai was free Rukia." Ichigo said while barely glancing from his history text.

"After covering addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, what else do we really need to know about math?" Rukia ignored Ichigo's little quip and continued with her rant. "I mean, this doesn't even make sense!"

Ichigo groaned and temporarily abandoned his history book. He turned to look at Rukia. "I already explained the assignment to you. I'm starting to think Renji's rubbing off on you."

Rukia tried to glare at Ichigo, but her heart wasn't in it. Her enemy was math in general, not him. "Well just explain this one thing to me. You didn't cover it before." Ichigo signed and got on the bed next to Rukia. He leaned over her shoulder to look at what she was pointing to on the page.

"That's _'i'_." He said blandly.

"And what is _'i'_ doing in my math equation?" Rukia asked with a bit of a tone.

"It represents a number."

"What number?"

Ichigo sighed heavily, his breath blowing her hair because of his proximity. "An imaginary number. _'i'_ for imaginary number."

"An imaginary number…An _imaginary_…number…" Rukia sagged her shoulders and seemingly stared at the air in front of her with a bored expression. Then she promptly threw her math textbook over her shoulder and out the open window behind her.

"Rukia!" Ichigo shouted and looked out the window Rukia had just treated like a trashcan. "They charge you for those you know!"

"Who cares." Rukia shrugged with a sneer on her face. "Maybe I'll give them an _imaginary_ check."

"Rukia, I'm serious." Ichigo scolded with an annoyed tone. " Textbooks are expensive. Especially in college. You can't get into the habit of throwing a $200 book out the window because it pissed you off!"

Rukia sighed. College again. Ichigo had done a good job quelling her fears about it earlier. He made it sound easy, well boring, but easy nonetheless. And the way he talked about her future, _their_ future really, made her feel that even if she wasn't able to jump all the hurdles on her own, that he would be there for her.

Rukia shook her head. Sentimental thoughts like these would get her nowhere. Especially sentimental thoughts concerning Ichigo. He'd made it abundantly clear that he was an idiot. One minute he was touching her, the next he was pushing her. He'd make her feel special, then he'd make her feel ignorant. Or like the other night, which was the worst in Rukia's opinion, he would lean in for what she thought was a kiss, and instead knock her senseless with a dictionary. _'What is it with me and human books? I need to stick with my manga.' _She needed to stop taking Ichigo's kinder moments as something more than what they were. If he wasn't sure of his intentions with her, then it was pointless for her to analyze them on her own. It would only add further stress to her agenda and frankly, Rukia didn't want to be any more vulnerable than she already felt.

"Hey." Ichigo said not sounding annoyed anymore and pulling her from her thoughts.

"What?" Rukia continued staring at the nothing in front of her.

Ichigo shifted his seat on the bed so that he was directly behind Rukia and he pulled her between his bent knees. Rukia's bland and slightly depressed eyes shot open at the very peculiar position he just put them in.

"What the hell do you thi-!" Rukia started and tried to move away or attack the crazy bastard, but Ichigo held her arms firmly.

"Just…shut up and let me do this. You need to relax. You can handle all this shit you've got to do. It just seems worse because it's been dumped on you all at once." Ichigo spoke in a demanding, but gentle way as he forced her body still. He leaned forward a bit and spoke into her ear softly. "Trust me." And that was all he really needed to say. Rukia couldn't help but trust the brash, carrot headed, teenager who'd saved her life countless times.

She stopped shifting around and found her position between his legs to be quite comfortable once she settled. His knees bent around her side made perfect armrests and his broad and tall body cradled her smaller frame perfectly. Rukia was a taken aback at how she seemed to fit with him. But she made a silent oath not take this as anything more than…whatever it was.

Ichigo didn't let go of Rukia's shoulders once she relaxed, but he released his strong grip and instead started rubbing his hands up and down her arms, easing the tension locked up in her muscles.

Rukia had changed out of her school clothes while Ichigo was picking himself up from the bushes she accidentally pushed him into when they got home. And Ichigo had changed as soon as Rukia sat on his bed with her homework and after taking a (cold) shower. So Rukia could find comfort in not only the feel of Ichigo's hands massaging her, but the warmth of his body on her bare arms. She'd never realized how much skin the pale blue, spaghetti strapped top she was wearing over her white skirt had exposed.

Ichigo's hands were big and applied the perfect amount of pressure from the base of her neck, across her shoulders and down her arms all the way to her hands. Rukia didn't know if Ichigo had practice doing this before or whether it was something else he was just naturally talented at. Without knowing, Ichigo seemed to answer her question.

"When I was younger, I saw my mom give dad these massages after he had worked in the clinic all day. It always seemed to de-stress him."

Rukia didn't think it was the massage itself that relaxed Ichigo's father, but she wasn't going to say anything that might cause Ichigo to stop touching her. So she replied the only way she could really manage at the moment.

"Mm." It was like a grunt of acknowledgment mixed with a small moan. Rukia could imagine the smirk of pride on Ichigo's face.

"Like I said before, all this stuff will be cake for you." Ichigo's hands focused on Rukia's neck for the moment, kneading her tender skin softly.

"Cake?" Rukia perked.

"It's just an expression." He said lamely, then continued, "Homework is no biggie, Ochi-sensei is pretty lax about that anyway, and with that money Urahara offered, we can either hire someone to fix your house, or we can save it for other stuff. I'm pretty sure you could find a way to convince Renji to do the manual labor himself for free." Rukia gave a small laugh and Ichigo moved his hands to her shoulders once again. His palms were callused, but it only added a nice texture to the massage and his fingers were so long, he could almost reach her collarbone as he rubbed her bare skin.

"We'll go ahead and look for some work tomorrow too. I think I could get a pretty good job interning for Ishida's father at the hospital."

"You don't have to get a job Ichigo." Rukia said drowsily. Her eyes were shut and she was feeling extremely relaxed and comfortable. "I can support myself." It almost came out as a yawn.

Rukia could feel Ichigo chuckle a little through her back. " I know you can. But I think I remember some midget shinigami telling me to that sharing a burden with friends made it easier to carry." Ichigo's hands slipped from her shoulders to her back and starting rubbing the kinks and knots there as well. Rukia bit back a groan of pleasure.

"Yeah, I remember saying that to you. But you know…" Rukia said smoothly.

"What?"

"I got that advice from Renji."

Ichigo stopped rubbing her back and pulled her closer to him so he could move his head around to look at her face.

"Are you telling me I've been taking advice from that idiot without knowing?" he asked sounding irritated.

"Well if it makes you feel any better, I'm sure he got it from a fortune cookie or something." Rukia shrugged and waited for Ichigo to continue with his- what she decided were- magic hands.

"Whatever. I'll just pretend you didn't tell me that." Ichigo sat there with his hands at Rukia's waist and probably pouting a little bit. Rukia frowned at his lack of massaging and deemed his hands were acting more lazy than magical at the moment.

"Ichigo!" Rukia thumped her head impatiently against his chest. "Aren't you supposed to be relieving the stress to which you are a major contributor of?" She sounded only slightly demanding.

"I think you have a problem with expressing gratitude Rukia." Ichigo grumbled, but instead of rubbing her arms or shoulders again, he slipped his hands smoothly under her shirt and rubbed her bare back. Rukia arched at the intimate contact, whether from surprise, disapproval, or pleasure, she wasn't quite sure yet. She thought it best to let Ichigo continue his massage before she decided if she was offended or not.

Ichigo canvassed her back, his hands covering large areas at a time. He gave small squeezes to the muscles that were tight and caressed the rest of her skin slowly. Rukia didn't feel sleepy at all anymore. Her body was tingling too much and she was trying her best not to moan. Ichigo's hands spread in a little pattern, first going down her shoulders, thumbs pressing hard along her shoulder blades, then hands moving to feel the slight curve of her hips and finally returning up the middle of her back again.

Rukia laughed a little when Ichigo's hands moved carelessly over her bra as if it weren't there at all. He'd always freaked out before at only the sight of her undergarments in his closet. Now he was barely acknowledging that he was touching one. Rukia didn't know where Ichigo found this confidence, but she really enjoyed it. _Really_ enjoyed it. Maybe a little too much even…

Ichigo's hands stopped their pleasant roaming on her back and wound their way to her flat stomach, holding her against him. Ichigo seemed to lean even closer to her and his head nuzzled next to her face near her temple. "Are you laughing at me?"

The husky quality of Ichigo's voice was a tone Rukia had never heard before, and frankly, it was one that made her shudder in anticipation. Ichigo took her shudder as an acceptable answer and held onto her hip tightly as his other hand rose to take up her chin and turn her face towards his. Rukia couldn't decide whether to put up a wall and turn away, or to close her eyes and accept whatever Ichigo was willing to give. But the moment her eyes met his intense gaze, she lost any power she might have had to make her own decision. She'd seen that look of determination and assurance in Ichigo's eyes before. Although she'd never seen the glaze of lust that was accompanying it before now, she knew fighting against Ichigo would have been useless. Not that she was even considering resisting.

Ichigo tilted her chin slightly and Rukia felt a sense of déjà vu as their faces came closer together. Of course this time she was fortunate enough to have the foresight to throw the heaviest book in the room out the window beforehand. And she also knew neither of his hands were reaching for a weapon as they were both currently residing on her body. Her gaze slipped away from Ichigo's eyes, which were closing shut, and moved towards his mouth that was parting open. She watched his lips move to mouth her name before her own eyes closed shut.

"Ruki-"

"SHRIEK! SHRIEK! SHRIEK!"

They jumped away from each other faster than Yoruichi could shun po, and gasped for breath when they realized it was a hollow alert that broke them apart.

They stared at each other for a few seconds before Rukia, still gasping for breath, said, "I think…we should try out this…gigai... with the hollow… and all...you know?" If she had sense enough to listen to how she was speaking, she would have dived onto her Sode no Shirayuki in shame.

"Yeah." Ichigo replied, looking dumb as a rock and just as motionless. He shook his head hard and gave himself a slap across the face before pulling out his shinigami representative badge and thrusting it into his chest. He turned his back to Rukia and paused waiting for her to climb up on his back.

Rukia was about to jump on, but paused before her hands could clasp his shoulders. Ichigo seemed to feel the same way and they both looked at each other awkwardly, afraid that the slightest touch would lead to…

"Let's see how fast I can run in this!" Rukia practically shouted.

"Great idea!" Ichigo said with equal enthusiasm.

They jumped out the window and Rukia's mind was actually taken off the…incident…with the surprising quality of her gigai. She could actually use shun po and wound up getting to the hollow slightly ahead of Ichigo.

Ichigo and Rukia stood side by side-but still with a decent and safe amount of distance between them-appraising the hollow. It wasn't a huge hollow, but it wasn't small either. Either of them would probably make quick work of it. Rukia took a step forward to test out her abilities while in her gigai, but stopped short with a weary apprehension. Something about it seemed…familiar.

"What's wrong?" Ichigo scowled behind her. He was probably worried about her. At least that was normal behavior she could count on.

"Nothing." Rukia didn't let doubt sound out in her voice. "Stand back and let me take care of this guy."

"Just watch out for those tentacles." Ichigo called out as Rukia got closer to the hollow.

'_Tentacles?'_ She hated hollows with tentacles. They always seemed to be a bit trickier than most, not to mention a few particular tentacle armed hollows had personally had a part in Rukia and Ichigo's histories. Rukia stood confidently in her new gigai and spouted out a kidou spell. The firepower was amazing, in fact, Rukia wasn't expecting it to be so strong and it slightly knocked her back. The hollow howled in pain and swung a long tentacle at Rukia in retaliation while she was off balance.

"Rukia watch out!" Ichigo yelled angrily at her. She knew he was seconds away from stepping in and overpowering the hollow himself. He should really learn to share.

"Keep back you fool!" Rukia shouted as she dodged the attacks that the hollow was lashing at her. "You're only going to distract me!" Rukia shot another blast of kidou, one of a lesser power, to distract the hollow long enough to get behind it. She chanted and aimed a powerful shot directly at the hollows mask. The hollow cried out as it was hit, and before it dissipated into oblivion, a berserk tentacle slashed Rukia across the arm.

Flashes instantly filled Rukia's head and she reeled back in pain. It wasn't physical pain, but emotional, as memories of the night she fought the espada Aaroneliro flooded her senses.

_Kaien's face...Kaien's crooked smile…his teasing. The warmth of being with him again._

_Then she felt the warmth of her blood flowing down her limbs and the cold of his zanpukuto impaling her body._

_The cold change of his tone. And the even colder realization._

_The ice of her zanpukuto's third dance going through his skull. _

_The guilt of Sode no Shirayuki piercing through Kaien's body for the second time in her life._

_Ichigo's face…Ichigo's teasing…his tears…_

_Aizen holding the hogyoku._

_Ichigo holding her._

_Cold again when Ichigo's sword impales her as well…but then…warmth…warmth…maybe a little suffocation…_

"Rukia!"

Rukia gasped, all visions of the past ceasing, and found herself lying on the ground looking up at Ichigo's wide, worried, eyes. Rukia panted and struggled to hold back the tears the memories had brought forward. Ichigo was holding her almost painfully by the shoulders and shouting her name.

"Rukia! Rukia! Snap out of it damn it!" Rukia did snap out of it, regaining some composure, and pushed Ichigo off of her. The events of that day were hazy to her. More like a nightmare. Sure, it had been the turning point of the war, but she hated reliving the memories of killing the espada who took Kaien's face. He housed Kaien's spirit and she had put an end to him…again.

"Rukia?" Ichigo called her name more gently this time. He was concerned, but also confused. The tentacle that touched Rukia had barely cut her arm. In fact it was only a scratch.

Rukia shook her head. What was in the past, was exactly that. There were no changing things even if she wanted to and it was pointless to dwell on anything about that night. The war was over, everyone was safe, and she and Ichigo were…well, that she had no idea. So instead she looked at Ichigo and nodded, saying, "I'm fine. I just hate the hollows with tentacles." Ichigo would understand. He would understand too well.

He seemed to calm down at Rukia's response, but wasn't entirely satisfied with her explanation. So he scowled, but held out a hand to help Rukia off the ground. She accepted but didn't meet his gaze. Rukia turned away from Ichigo to brush herself off and wipe away any tears that might have fallen down her face.

Ichigo stood back to let Rukia gather herself and laid Zangetsu across his shoulders in his usual stance. "So why don't you tell me what the hell happened back there?"

Rukia glanced at him, but didn't turn to face him straight on. She wanted to avoid rehashing those memories again if at all possible. "I told you. I just don't like hollows with tentacles…" She smiled slightly as she realized the perfect way to change the subject and get Ichigo off her back. "Or did you mean what happened back in your room…?"

Rukia didn't have to turn around to know that the clanking sound she heard followed by thumping and cursing, was Ichigo dropping his own sword on his foot and hopping around in pain. She turned around trying to look genuinely curious. Ichigo stopped hopping and opened his mouth like a fish a few times before sheathing his zanpukuto and coughing loudly.

"I guess we should just go back home and…finish our homework…" Even in the darkness, Rukia could see the blush on Ichigo's face. "Let's just call it a night actually." Ichigo said quickly.

"Agreed." Rukia started walking past Ichigo towards home, but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. She glanced up to see him looking into the distance in the opposite direction. His blush was gone and his serious scowl had returned.

"If it's something important though…you really should just tell me now." Ichigo stated in the authoritative but gentle tone he had mastered.

Rukia sighed. She didn't want to blow him off completely, but she really just wanted to go to sleep.

"When the tentacle touched me…I…I remembered the night you killed Aizen." Ichigo would understand. He would understand too well.

Ichigo gave Rukia's shoulder a squeeze and let out his own sigh.

"Come on." He said as he left his hand on Rukia and walked around to her other side so they were facing the same direction with his arm gently draped across her shoulders. "Let's just go home and get to bed. We've got a lot of stuff to do tomorrow and…" Ichigo dropped his hand from Rukia's shoulders to scratch his head as he yawned loudly, "We have to find your math book somewhere outside my window…"

Rukia nodded and for the first time that day, she welcomed the thought of being busy. Drowning herself in work was better than drowning in memories. She only hoped what happened with the hollow was a fluke from the stress she was under and had nothing to do with the strange feeling in the pit of her stomach when she felt it's presence.

"We probably won't run into a hollow like that again." Ichigo said, quietly voicing Rukia's own thoughts. "It was probably just some crazy side affect of your gigai that Urahara _forgot_ to mention." He offered.

"Right." Rukia agreed solemnly. She knew Ichigo was just as put off at what she told him had occurred as she was and was only trying to comfort her. She went along with it. "I just need some rest."

"Right…we both do." He said.

They both complied with the decision that what they needed was sleep, but neither of them expected to get a peaceful rest that night.

_Flashback_

_Rukia coughed and sputtered up some blood when she felt Ichigo's hand on her cheek. She didn't know how long she was out after defeating that bastard espada, but she had tried to stay alive long enough to do what the real Kaien had told her to do. Rukia didn't break promises. Rules sometimes, but not promises to the people she cared about…except this last time she supposed. _

"_Rukia…" Ichigo called her name softly and she could just make out the presence of another person on her other side. Rukia assumed it was Orihime attempting to heal her, but she didn't feel any healing power going through her body. She only felt cold except for where Ichigo's hand was still caressing her cheek. _

"_I'm sorry." Rukia spoke as clearly as she could, but it only came out a whisper. Ichigo leaned in to hear her better. "I'm sorry for breaking the promise we made when we came here. Tell Renji I tried." Rukia gasped for breath again. Why was breathing so difficult? Oh yeah, the sword the penetrated her organs. That would do the trick. _

"_You're gonna be fine Rukia." Ichigo said tensely. She wasn't sure if he believed his own words._

"_I'm sorry I broke my promise, but at least I waited for you so I wouldn't die alone."_

_Ichigo's scowl broke from being concerned to being pissed. "Quit talking like an idiot! Inoue's right here. You're not gonna die!" He scoffed a bit and his mouth twitched to what might have been a smile, "You're such a drama queen."_

_Rukia resisted the temptation of using the last of her strength to hit him. "Shut up you fool and listen closely," she took as deep a breath as she could muster, "What I'm going to say is sappy, but necessary, and I'm not going to repeat it, damn it." _

_Ichigo's hint of a smile vanished and he gave her his rapt attention._

"_Thanks to you I won't die alone, and…" Rukia blinked to clear the haze over her eyes and meet his gaze intently. "I can leave my heart with you."_

_Ichigo blinked his eyes a few times before narrowing them. "I don't want your heart. You're gonna need it when you survive this."_

_Rukia wanted let out a frustrated sigh, but she couldn't seem to gather enough air to do so. Instead she found enough to gently berate him. "I won't be surviving this, so you should shut up and take a girls heart when she offers it. Plus, it's metaphor-" _

_There wasn't any air left. She hadn't any strength left. Rukia's eyes slipped closed as she accomplished her goal of passing her heart to Ichigo. She would have liked to call him a fool one more time, but she was sure he got the point. _

_Then everything was black…_

…_until, for the second time that night, her body was impaled by a zanpukuto. But this time, there wasn't cold steel piercing through her vital organs, but instead a warm hum vibrating throughout her whole being, then there was light and everything was…bright orange?_

_Rukia bolted up with strength she was sure had vanished just an instant ago. Her lungs were full and light, her body was warm, she didn't feel any pain or any numbness. And the Strawberry she could have sworn she just said goodbye too, who should have been crying tears of grief at her demise, was grinning at her like an idiot. _

"_What the hell?!" Rukia screamed in pure shock, and pure outrage at being shocked, when she was so sure she was dead just a moment ago. _

_Suddenly, the pain and lack of oxygen she felt before, returned wholeheartedly, as two people smothered her tiny body in an embrace._

That night had ended well. Rukia thought as she lay in her bed staring at the ceiling restlessly. She and Ichigo had retreated to their respective rooms earlier. No one had died…well, she didn't stay dead anyway, and Ichigo had defeated Aizen. But the events that lead to their victory in that battle were spurned from grief and agony. Her grief from killing Kaien…again. And Ichigo's grief from watching a person he cared about die in front of him…again. It all ended well, but they weren't the fondest memories and she wouldn't be making a scrapbook any time soon.

Rukia sighed and rolled over to smother her face into her pillow. The hollow made her picture Aizen and in all his power, holding the hogyoku in front of him. She lifted her head and squinted at the mental picture. She wasn't actually…alive when that happened. She heard about what happened, she'd filled out a ton of paperwork about the incident once it was over, but she wasn't actually conscious when Ichigo used his pain to defeat Aizen and bring her back. Why did she have such clear images? And why did they come to her after the hollow's tentacle touched her? Rukia rolled onto her back again and closed her eyes. Her instincts told her something was wrong, but her fear of the past haunting her dreams nightly, told her to forget it happened and just avoid touching any hollows with tentacles again. That was reasonable.

Rukia settled into her pillow, finally finding her bed comfortable and her body melting into the mattress. _'Slay- don't touch the hollows.'_ She nodded sleepily. She didn't need to overanalyze everything. Including her and Ichigo. What happened between them earlier was in the past, recent past, but still the past, and however much she enjoyed it, she wasn't going to waste her time with foolish thoughts when she needed to concentrate on the tasks ahead of her. School. Work. Shinigami duties. House construction. The simplicity of her mental list was enough to ease her mind. Taking Ichigo and their…relationship-not to mention the strange hollow she had just fought-out of the equation, left her with just enough sanity to function properly. Rukia idly wondered if Urahara had shifted the hormone balance in her gigai to that of a normal teenage girl before finally giving in to the sleep her body was aching for.

* * *

_AN: I meant to update sooner, but I had a difficult time writing this chapter. I'm pretty sure it's important...Not to mention I got sick and that always sucks. I hope people enjoy it and even if you don't tell me about it so I can learn to do better. Thanks a lot for reading and extra thanks for reviewing! Until next time!_


	8. Wooing

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach but it's fun to imagine I do and make Ichigo and Rukia get married and have lotsa babies!...sorry...I'll just keep my imaginings to myself..._

* * *

Chapter 8: Wooing

* * *

Ichigo sat in his desk waiting very impatiently for his last class of the day to finish up. He was restless with all ten digits drumming quickly on the surface of his desk and his long legs jumping up and down underneath.

Technically, he still had college prep at the end of the period, but despite all the anticipation from the first day, the prep hour turned out to be a big joke among the senior population. They were supposed to work on college entrance essays, applications, study for important exams, and get career advice, but most students used the time as a free period before they were set free for the day. And of course, some just left.

Ichigo was particularly ready for the hour of free time so that he could talk to Rukia. He got the feeling that she had been avoiding him all day. Well, actually she had been avoiding him all week. Okay, in all honesty, she had been avoiding him _and_ Renji for the entire week. And he didn't really blame her.

_Five nights ago_

_Ichigo was relaxing on his bed with a manga in front of him, when Rukia burst through his door with a pile of paper, packets, pamphlets, and so on. She plopped said pile onto his unsuspecting gut. _

"_OOF!" Ichigo shoved the pile from his stomach to his bed and tried to gather his breath in order to yell at the rude little witch._

"_I need your help filling out these applications." Rukia sat next to the pile and brought out a pen._

_Ichigo would have taken this moment to refuse and yell at her for crushing his insides, but he was too distracted by the way she nibbled on the end of her pen in concentration. Her small white teeth tapped the black plastic and he could just see the very tip of her pink tongue._

_Ichigo stared while Rukia murmured questions at him._

"_So I haven't done any of this stuff. Do I just say I did? Is it just a formality?"_

"_Uh huh." Ichigo responded without hearing a word her beautiful mouth was uttering._

"_What's a social security number? Is it more math?"_

"_Uh huh."_

_Rukia looked at Ichigo for the first time and noticed his comatose like stature. She titled her head and asked, "Ichigo are you listening to a word I'm saying?"_

"_Uh huh. That's a great idea." His mouth moved, but his eyes were stuck to her mouth._

_Rukia just rolled her eyes, gathered up the large pile and left his room, thinking he didn't really need her to be present while he daydreamed about something perverted._

_Four days ago_

_Ichigo and Rukia were at the mall shopping for appropriate clothes for interviews. It turned out that few employers thought Chappy themed sundresses were the attire of a good employee candidate. _

"_Is this skirt formal enough? Or is it too short?" Rukia asked Ichigo as she walked from a changing room._

_Normally Ichigo wouldn't be caught dead waiting for a girl emerge in 20 different outfits for hours, just to have the sales people give him knowing smirks. But Rukia genuinely didn't know what humans wore for work interviews. And she was diligently taking notes on all the tips Ichigo and others had given her._

_When Ichigo looked up at Rukia, she was wearing the first skirt she had picked up that day. Pant suits were nice, but Ichigo really liked the skirts. Really._

"_Uh…" He struggled not to let his tongue roll onto the floor. "Looks fine." _

_Rukia gave him a small frown and then looked down to her figure again. "Are you sure? I know human women are allowed to show skin and still be professional, but this is almost shorter than my school uniform." She looked at him concerned. "And you give a me a hard time for just that."_

_Ichigo gulped and let his hormones do the thinking when he found himself walking straight towards Rukia, getting so close he had to bend slightly to look her in the eye. Her eyes widened, but she let him silently appraise her. _

_Ichigo put a hand gently on her shoulder and walked around her in a circle. He let his hand trail along her body as he turned around her. His eyes were taking all of her in. The short black skirt wasn't tight on Rukia's slender hips, but showed off a distinctly feminine curve. The white blouse she was wearing was buttoned up all the way to her neck making her look a bit stiff._

_Ichigo stopped circling and stood in front of Rukia and brought his hands to the buttons on the top of her shirt. His fingers tenderly pulled them away from the fabric one by one until Rukia's collarbone was exposed. Then he undid one more…just to make it an even number…_

"_You don't look so uptight now." Ichigo said hoarsely. His hands were still holding onto the opened sides of her white blouse when he gripped them tightly and pulled her slightly towards him._

_Rukia seemed to be frozen with shock, but she didn't fight him. Until a saleslady walked towards them._

"_Ahem…" She fake coughed._

_Rukia unfroze and pulled back quickly blushing. Ichigo continued to stare at Rukia._

"_I'm sorry," The saleslady continued with a hint of malice in her voice, "But our dressing rooms are for trying on clothes, not taking them off."_

_Rukia blushed deeply. "I'm sorry, I was just asking his opinion for some work clothes." She pointed dimly to Ichigo, whose neck had now tilted to the side so he could gaze at her profile._

_The saleswoman rolled her eyes. "If those are for work, then you might want to button up the blouse and add at least 6 inches to that skirt of yours." She gave a cruel smile. "Unless of course you have the occupation of a prostitute."_

_Rukia dropped her draw outraged and looked towards the nearest mirror. She had to admit she looked more ready to be ravaged, than to work for an honest wage. But by the look in Ichigo's eyes, he wasn't preparing her for the latter. _

_Rukia stormed into the dressing room to change and slammed the door shut. Ichigo, finally out of his stupor, watched the saleslady tip her chin into the air as she walked away. Ichigo cursed her for ruining a good moment. He went to the dressing room Rukia was in and tapped gently on the door._

"_You know…we could still buy that if you want…"_

She didn't want to buy it. And she didn't go shopping with him again after that. Ichigo wasn't sure if he was pleased or disappointed. He'd tried to make up for embarrassing her at the mall, but Renji wasn't helping the situation.

_Three mornings ago_

"_Rukia! Wait up!" Ichigo ran to catch up with Rukia who had left startlingly early for school that morning. She glanced back towards him with a look of…fear? And then she quickened her pace._

"_Hey!" Ichigo yelled again a bit angrier. Rukia slowed down and then finally stopped to wait for him when she saw the mad look on his face._

_Ichigo caught up and fell into step beside her. "Why'd you leave so early anyway?" He asked with his hands in his pockets and eyes on the sidewalk._

_Rukia sighed and tried to keep patient. "I just have a lot of work to do at school Ichigo. My job hunt isn't going well at all," He could see the glare in his peripheral vision. "And college preparation has the kind of paperwork to rival that of Soul Society." Rukia let out a deep sigh and Ichigo noticed the way her chest rose with his peripheral vision._

"_I'll just take some load off your back." Ichigo said. He grabbed for her pack, but Rukia held onto it firmly. _

"_My back is fine." She gritted out. "I don't need help carrying things, I need help doing them." _

"_Help is help." Ichigo ignored her and pulled on her bag again. They were in a slight tug of war when the arrived at the school and Renji came up to them._

"_Hey, what are you trying to do? Mug her?" Renji smirked._

"_I'm just trying to help carry her bag because she's bitching about all the work she's got in it." Ichigo strained against Rukia._

"_And I'm saying, my bag is fine! You're just helping at pissing me off Ichigo! Now let go!" Rukia started kicking Ichigo in shin, but when he jerked back in pain, he took her bag with him._

"_Ow…and ha!" Ichigo held her bag triumphantly above her head. Rukia just sagged her shoulders and held up an arm asking for the bag back._

"_Oi, Ichigo. Just let her carry it." Renji interjected._

"_I'm helping her out. She just doesn't want to admit it." Ichigo smirked, but then frowned when Renji started tugging on the pack._

"_You're not helping her, you're annoying her! Just let her carry it!" Renji and Ichigo pulled the bag now._

"_If anyone's annoying her, it's you! You're making a big scene!" Ichigo yelled back. Sure enough, people were starting to gather around them. Some looking scared, some looking amused, and a few were even passing knowing glances back and forth…_

"_You're both annoying me, you're both making a scene, so both of you just give me my FUCKING BAG!" Rukia was shaking with anger and frustration with her hands at her side and balled into fists. The crowd around them had dispersed immediately, sensing an explosion with collateral damage about to occur. But Renji and Ichigo only gave a final jerk to the bag so they could be the winner to return it to her._

_Rukia's bag ripped apart from the strain of being fought over by two alpha males bursting with testosterone, and the papers she had actually been complaining about flew all over the schoolyard._

"_It was his fault!" Renji and Ichigo pointed at each other and then scrambled under Rukia's steaming glare to gather all the papers. Orihime and Mizuiro dragged Rukia inside the building in order to prevent a double homicide from occurring before first period._

It had been days since Rukia started avoiding Ichigo all together, and Ichigo blamed Renji's interference for the utter failure of what he had mentally titled, "Operation: Woo Rukia." Of course he would never utter that phrase out loud. It embarrassed him enough just thinking it.

Girls were foreign territory for him. He knew Rukia was willing to take things further, but he didn't know how to initiate anything. Bullies he could handle, hollows had become almost mundane, even with the increase of those tentacle bastards, and hell, Ichigo had stormed the inner sanctum of a different dimension-twice-and all of that was easier than figuring out what to do when he liked a girl.

Ichigo groaned at his inner dialogue. He'd managed 18 years without 'girl problems', and now they decided to show up. Ichigo glanced at Rukia who was a bit too engrossed in note taking. He tried to glare a hole into the side of her head. Everything was her fault. Before Rukia came along, Ichigo had brooded peacefully through life. Maybe he wasn't happy, but at least he was in control of himself. He supposed the loss of his ability to function was the price to pay for the happiness Rukia brought him. What the hell kind of trade was that?

He found he couldn't bore a hole into Rukia's head because her raven hair was shiny enough to deflect mental rays of malice. Then he noticed how she seemed to have such long legs for being so short. Then his mind wandered to how soft her legs would feel. They were probably as soft as her shoulders were…as her back was…

He shook his head trying to keep his concentration. Ichigo just had to keep his libido in check. He could not sit in class gazing fondly at Rukia. He didn't need Ochi-sensei to come over and harass him like she had on the first day of the quarter. She'd probably ask him what kind of wet dream he was having in front of the whole class.

Ichigo shuddered at the horror of that possibly occurring. He had already all but destroyed his, "I'm a bad ass and nothing affects me" image. Bad asses didn't trip over their own feet trying to hold a door open for a pretty girl. And they didn't get into a tug of war with that pretty girl over some books that they offered to carry. Apparently Rukia didn't understand chivalry like she let on, because she took his offers as insinuations to her being weak. Renji jumping in to make Ichigo look bad didn't help either.

Ichigo sneered the red head who was also staring at Rukia. She was getting really good at ignoring both of them at the same time. Renji was one of the reasons Ichigo couldn't get Rukia alone. Well…that and her physically running away from him. But Ichigo was sure she was avoiding the two of them together, not just him alone…That's what he assumed anyway.

"Okay, that concludes our class today! College prep is up next after a short break!" Ochi-sensei barely had time to set down her chalk as a mass blur of students ran out the door.

Ichigo stood up quickly to speak to Rukia. If he could steal her bag before she got a hand on it, he was pretty sure she'd let him carry it. Even if only to avoid having him tear it apart again. He leaned over to her seat and found Renji meeting him halfway.

"What are you doing?" They asked each other and…the empty desk. Rukia was the short, dark haired part of the blur that ran from the room.

"You scared her off!" Renji growled.

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo shot back and reached for his own bag so he could find Rukia. "I was just gonna ask her what she wanted to do for free period."

"Yeah right Ichigo!" Keigo jumped up beside Ichigo as he slung his bag over he shoulder scowling. "You've been all over Kuchiki-san this week!" Keigo clasped his hands together. "I'm so proud that puberty finally hit our Ichigo!"

"Something's gonna hit you if you don't get out of my way." Ichigo threatened in a low voice, to which Keigo promptly stepped back. His teasing however, was taken over by Ishida.

"Kurosaki, you're attempts at wooing Rukia are blatantly obvious if even Asano's caught on."

"Hey!" Keigo and Ichigo cried out in dismay and annoyance.

"I'm not 'wooing' anyone Ishida! I think you need a new prescription for your glasses." Ichigo argued.

"Oh admit Ichigo." Tatsuki came up, as did Chad. "Everyone's talking about how the Kurosaki Ichigo has had his heart stolen by Kuchiki Rukia."

Ichigo balked at the bluntness and…accuracy of the new rumor going around.

Tatsuki rose her eyebrow at his reaction. "You didn't hear about that rumor?"

"No! Not that one." He narrowed his eyes in recollection. "I remember the one Mizuiro started…" He also remembered the black eye he'd given Mizuiro when he found out about the rumors origin.

"Well this one's not really a rumor Ichigo." Keigo pointed out and in slight defense of his friend who wasn't present. "Everyone knows about you and Renji fighting over Rukia."

"We're not fighting!" Renji and Ichigo cried out in unison for the second time that day.

"Well we're not fighting over Rukia." Ichigo clarified with his arms crossed.

"As if this asshole would even be competition." Renji declared. He got into Ichigo's face. "Why would Rukia want a boy when she could have a man like me?"

Ichigo didn't waiver. "Maybe the 'man' would like to know that his shoes are on the wrong feet."

Renji looked quickly down to his shoes. "Aw damn it! They've got too many strings and do-dads!" Renji struggled with the human invention known as sneakers while the rest of the small group followed Ichigo out of the room.

Ichigo scanned the halls looking for a gap where a short person was probably walking. He scratched the top of his head. "Where did Rukia run off to so fast?" He frowned. "Bitch. I was gonna offer going out to eat."

"Maybe…she just needs some space." Chad spoke hesitantly.

Ichigo was a bit shocked Chad had said anything at all. "Why? Do you know where she is?"

Chad's right eye was hidden by his mop of dark hair, but his left eye darted nervously to the side. "…..No….I don't know."

"Aw, come on Chad!" Ichigo turned to face his tallest friend. Chad could be cracked if he knew anything, the guy was a softy. Unfortunately Tatsuki stepped between them before Ichigo could plead with his friend.

"He's saying that you're coming on too strong Ichigo." Tatsuki said. And not as quietly as Ichigo would have preferred. "You and Rukia like each other…I've got my money on it…" She muttered that part. "But you're gonna scare her away if you keep doing all that sappy crap you've been doing all week."

"What the hell are you talking about Tatsuki!" Ichigo fumed and blushed a bit. There was no way someone just described him as being…sappy.

"You gave her flowers." Chad stated.

Ichigo gaped a bit and stammered an excuse. "I didn't 'give' them to her. I just picked some up while we were walking…"

His friends looked at him skeptically. Ichigo struggled to find a more reasonable excuse. "The- there…was a bee on the flowers…and I was…I was…trying to get it to sting her! Yeah! I was trying to trick her to sniff some flowers that had a bee on them because she was a bitch that day."

Tatsuki and Keigo grimaced at that horrible lie, Ishida dropped his glasses, and Chad coughed before backing away from his obviously unstable friend.

"Wow that was pathetic." Renji said as he caught up to them in the hall.

Ichigo's patience was wearing thinner than Ikkaku's hair, and he exploded at his friends. "Oh shut the hell up! You guys don't know what you're talking about! And even if you did, it's not like any of you are experts!" He shoved a finger at Tatsuki's face. "Especially you Arisawa! I don't care if you're the only one here wearing a skirt!"

"Well I'm sure anyone of us would do better than you following Kuchiki around like a drooling Labrador retriever." Ishida remarked as Keigo attempted to keep Tatsuki from pounding the life out of the Strawberry.

Ichigo rounded on Ishida with his finger swinging like a zanpukuto. "You can't say anything! You're the biggest nerd in the world! The closest you'll get to a girl is making her an outfit!"

Ishida with a condescending smirk wiped his glasses on his shirt. "I've been dating Inoue-san for almost a week now."

Everyone but Tatsuki dropped their jaws. Keigo started crying. "But you _are_ the biggest nerd in the world! How did the biggest nerd get together with the biggest rack in-?!"

And he was down for the count. Keigo lay sprawled on the floor from a combined effort from Ishida and Tatsuki.

Ichigo still stood with his jaw hanging. He stuttered questioningly, "Y-y-you? H-h-how did you just…just start dating? Like it's easy to do?"

Ishida looked like as arrogant as they came, accepting a congratulatory pat on the shoulder from Chad. "Well unlike you, I know how to make my intentions clear while not making fool of myself."

This time Tatsuki snorted. "Please! Orihime told me that not only did _she_ ask _you_ out, after dropping about a million hints, but when she gave you a goodnight kiss on your date, you fainted and she had to use her powers so that you could walk home."

Now Ichigo could pick up his dropped jaw and join Renji and Chad in laughing mercilessly at Ishida's shameful blush.

"Well maybe things didn't turn out quite the way I intended, but at least I'm doing better than Kurosaki."

"Whatever. I won't be taking advice from you about women." Ichigo huffed after gathering himself from laughing.

"At least he got a kiss Ichigo." Tatsuki reasoned. "I'm not suggesting you take any advice from Ishida, but you could at least learn to play it a little cooler than you have been."

"I'm not playing anything!" Ichigo stood firm in his denial.

Tatsuki continued as if Ichigo were hanging on her every word. She knew him well enough to know he was despite his many objections. "Flowers, candy, carrying books, opening doors-all the crap won't do anything to Rukia. You're probably just annoying the hell out of her."

Ichigo scoffed. The flower thing was one time and he hadn't even bought her candy…although that was his plan for break that day…

"Just be yourself Ichigo." Tatsuki slapped Ichigo hard on the back, in what he supposed was her attempt at comforting him. "For some reason Rukia likes that."

Renji glared at Tatsuki suspiciously. "Why are you trying so hard to get them together?" Then quickly he added, "As if Rukia would even stoop that low."

Ichigo growled, but then remembered that he was in denial about the whole thing and just turned his head away with a hard scowl.

"Let's just say," Tatsuki started cautiously, "That I have an invested interest in the well being of some of my closest friends.

Chad looked over to Renji, hoping Ichigo wasn't listening anymore. "She made a bet."

"What?!" Renji cried out. Ichigo just groaned. He figured someone would profit from his misery.

"I didn't make a bet per se, I'm just in the running for a pool the student body has going on." She jabbed a surprisingly strong, or not so surprisingly if you knew Tatsuki, finger at Renji's chest. "And you are mucking things up for me!"

"What are you talking about?" Renji asked and then he pouted. "And, ow! Fuck that hurt!"

"What I mean," Tatsuki continued to jab Renji causing the grown man to whine and shy away. "What I mean is that those idiots would have gotten together sooner if you hadn't of shown up to distract Rukia!"

Ichigo smiled inwardly. He shared her sentiment.

"What are you doing hounding around her trying to make Ichigo look bad?!" Tatsuki continued to reprimand him while the others watched amused.

"It's not like he needs any help in that department." Ishida muttered loudly.

Ichigo was less amused.

"Weren't you supposed to be building Rukia's house while the rest of us were attending class?" Tatsuki stopped finger-stabbing Renji long enough for him to give her a decent answer.

He rubbed his chest and scowled angrily. "I've been lending Rukia moral support here! And cleaning up her house is hard." He whined. "It's a lot of fucking work for one guy." He scratched his head in contemplation, "I'm still not sure how she managed to get me to start fixing it up by myself."

Ichigo pretended to rub his nose to hide a small smirk. He coughed and then asked Renji, "I thought you were gonna ask some guys from Soul Society to help? What happened to that plan?"

Renji frowned. "For some reason none of my friends are willing to work hard without getting something in return." Ichigo couldn't blame them.

"I can help out over the weekend." Chad offered kindly.

"Count me and Orihime in too." Tatsuki added. She lifted her eyebrows to Ishida.

He faltered and pushed his glasses up his nose before saying, "Um… yeah. I could lend a hand over the weekend…if Inoue will be there anyway…"

Ichigo looked away feeling a bit ashamed of himself. He'd been putting all of his energy into getting Rukia's attention, he had almost forgot about the bigger issues she was dealing with. It made sense that she was ignoring his advances and how she might construe them to be annoyances when she was so busy trying to get her life together. In fact, on several occasions he made it harder on her by thinking with…a piece of anatomy on his body a bit south of his brain…The mall episode for instance…

Keigo, who conveniently recovered at that point in the conversation to give his input, interrupted Ichigo's guilt trip. "If you really want those other shinigami to help, you should give them some incentive." He threw his arms around the shoulders of Renji and Ichigo shouting at the top of his lungs, "House party at Kuchiki's!"

Ichigo started shaking his head, knowing Rukia wouldn't be too keen on the idea, while Renji put his finger on his chin thinking it over. "If there was the promise of alcohol, I could get a lot of guys to come help out for a bit and then party in the real world."

"Then it's settled!" Keigo cheered. "You round up all the hot strong women in Soul Society, and all their demure little lady friends of course, and we'll bring the booze and party supplies!"

Ichigo was about to retort when Ishida spoke up. "The shinigami in Soul Society know their way around building tools." He paused and looked at Ichigo. "They've had plenty of practice rebuilding after major battles."

"That wasn't all done by me!" Ichigo said defensively.

"Anyway," Ishida continued. "A few handymen from Soul Society could probably fix up Kuckiki-san's house in no time. A party over the weekend would be a reasonable reward for their efforts."

"You haven't seen the place." Ichigo muttered.

"Maybe you should get Rukia's permission before going with this plan." Chad looked to Ichigo, to which he nodded in agreement.

Renji nodded as well. "I'll go back to Soul Society today and give them a heads up." He turned to Ichigo and scowled. "You get your ass together and tell Rukia what's up without scaring her off."

Ichigo scowled back before breaking the glare to scan the hall again. "But I don't know where Rukia went off to."

"She's in the library." Said Tatsuki, Ishida, Chad, and Keigo. Ichigo and Renji gaped.

Embarrassed, again, and pissed off, again, Ichigo yelled at them. "You knew the whole time?! Why the hell are you hiding her from me?!"

Tatsuki didn't back down, while the three boys shifted slightly behind her for protection. She crossed her arms and huffed. "Mizuiro said if the wager was going to be fair, then Rukia needed time to genuinely reflect without either of you idiots bugging her."

Ichigo slapped his forehead and Renji's eye twitched.

"But I think he's just trying to sway the odds into Renji's favor by talking to Rukia alone." Tatsuki grumbled.

Ichigo was shocked. "Mizuiro…bet…against me?"

Renji frowned at Ichigo. "I thought you were denying the whole thing?"

Ichigo opened his mouth in disgust. "Well…it's the principle of the thing! As if I'd ever lose to you!" Before Renji could curse at him, Ichigo continued grumpily. "Whatever happened to loyalty? Guy's supposed to be my friend."

"I'm sure it's not personal Kurosaki." Ishida stated. "The odds are actually in your favor."

"Wait a minute…how many of you are in on this?" Ichigo glared at his "friends" as he watched all of them look away guiltily.

"Chad!" Ichigo cried out.

"I only put in 5." Chad shrugged. Ichigo just shook his head again and then slumped defeated.

"Whatever." He turned to Renji…who wasn't there anymore. "What the hell?" Ichigo looked around and saw a bright red ponytail head towards…

"The library! Damn it Renji!" Ichigo took off down the hall, knocking over a few frightened freshmen, to intercept the opportunist jackass.

* * *

_AN: Man it's too much fun to torture Ichigo. I hope Ichigo's not OOC. I would hate that. This is just the side of Ichigo the manga doesn't explore. You know...puberty. I know lots of people wanted more of what happened in the last chapter...I know I do, but patience is a virtue...and blah blah, I'm gonna make you wait for it. Come on, it's Ichigo and Rukia, they never make things easy for each other. I updated a little early. I like how this exchange works, you leave a lot of reviews, I update, give and take. It's nice. Thanks so much to everyone who's enjoying the story so far, but I gotta say, the ones who leave reviews get chappy shaped cookies with their thank yous. Oh, and also, this is kinda out of the blue, but why is a lemon called a lemon? I'm not trying to hint at one...or am I...no, I don't think I am, but I just wondered why it was called that. A friend asked me and I looked like an ass making up reasons because I had no clue. Sorry, long authors note. I'll get back to writing more Ichigo and Rukia! You get back to reviewing! Thanks a lot!_


	9. Library

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, but thanks for asking._

* * *

Chapter 9: Library

* * *

Rukia was perhaps the only senior at Karakura high who utilized the college prep period. She found the class to be the most productive hour spent in school and she was glad that she was actually provided guidance. Ichigo had been utterly useless in providing Rukia anything other than…frustration. Frustration in _all_ aspects of the word. Because Ichigo felt it necessary to not only spend his time _not_ helping her keep focused, but actually tempt her with his suddenly obvious displays of affection. It seemed every time they were together, Ichigo managed to derail whatever task they were trying to accomplish and turn it into…a moment. 

His recent actions frustrated her not only because of his timing and tact, but because she was discovering that her will power was seriously waning. She wasn't like her Nii-sama, she couldn't keep a stick up her ass for long durations of time. Rukia had needs damn it! She had…urges…and Ichigo was pressing all the right buttons no matter how much it pissed her off.

So Rukia had started to avoid Ichigo not only to find time to get work done, but to put some literal distance between them. She swore that if he closed in on her, or touched her, or even looked at her, the way that he had been doing all week just one more time…

"Books! I'm reading books!" Rukia somewhat shouted to herself. Even when Ichigo wasn't around he distracted her. She silently cursed his bad timing at discovering his own hormones before she returned to the book opened in front of her.

She was in the library. Orihime and Mizuiro had dragged her into the building a few days ago to stop her from maiming Renji and Ichigo. Rukia narrowed her eyes. Renji was just as useless as Ichigo. Renji was enabling the poor bastard without realizing it. Of course Ichigo would try harder to get Rukia's attention if he thought he had competition. But at least Renji was working on Rukia's house, which was more than anything Ichigo was doing.

But the library was the perfect place to avoid her two stalkers. Actually, the library was a great place to avoid most students at the school. Rukia had been sitting in her own corner of the room all week and had only seen seven students pass through at the most.

She felt rather stupid for not even considering visiting the library before when she had so many questions about the living world. She realized how much she depended on Ichigo even when it wasn't necessary.

But now, with her desperate attempts to stay away from said human, she reveled in all the books the school's library had to offer. She had even made her own book fortress at her table. Tall piles surrounded her and acted as a wall to any unwelcome visitors.

"Kuchiki-san!"

Speaking of visitors.

Rukia peeked above her wall and saw that it was only Orihime and Mizuiro. She pushed two columns of books out from in front of her and opened up the table for her friends.

"You must have hightailed it from class the moment it was dismissed!" Mizuiro exclaimed.

"Did you know that one out of every five high school students are carrying an STD? That means it's likely that at least two of our friends have one." Rukia pointed to the book that she had been reading last.

Both of her friends looked at her with wide open, shocked eyes.

"Um…That's nice…Kuchiki-san…"Orihime said with a semi-frightened smile. Then she cast a quick glance to Mizuiro.

He caught it and said, "Hey! Don't look at me like that! My girlfriends and I are very responsible!"

Rukia just arched a brow at his comment. "Well I haven't found out what STDs are yet, there are so many stupid acronyms." Rukia took her eyes off her friends to find out what the letters stood for, but Orihime took the opportunity to gently grab the book from Rukia and set it aside.

"Maybe you should go back to looking at college applications Kuchiki-san." Orihime offered. Mizuiro nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, and the period is almost over." he added.

Rukia sighed, not quite understanding why they were trying to change the subject, but letting them anyway. "Well I've already filled out the applications to every school in the country. There isn't a lot more I can do in that area."

For the second time in the span of only a few minutes, Orihime and Mizuiro looked at Rukia with wide set eyes.

"Every school?" Mizuiro gaped.

Rukia put her elbow on the table and leaned into her hand letting out a yawn. "And a few of the most popular schools abroad. I've just been trying to stay out late to avoid Ichigo at night."

They nodded in understanding. Then Orihime confirmed, "So you spent your time being productive and filling out applications?"

"Yes, that way when Ichigo decides what which college he wants to go to, I'll already be a step ahead of him."

Orihime clapped her hands together, "I wish it were possible to attend every school in the country! I could pursue a major in Renaissance art history, get my culinary arts degree, build an army of androids, and then become a jet pilot!"

Orihime probably would have continued, but the librarian came over with her arms folded and a stern look on her face. "Shh!" She quickly tsked Orihime.

"Sorry." She said with a meek smile.

Mizuiro went back to what Rukia said earlier, "You know Rukia, you don't have to go to the same school as Ichigo."

"Well…" Rukia paused before answering. Ichigo was the last person she wanted to see at the moment, but she knew the feeling was only temporary. She really couldn't imagine going through college…or doing anything else in the living world for that matter, without him by her side. She hoped he got over whatever hormonal imbalance he was dealing with soon so that they could spend time together again. Rukia actually missed the big idiot even while she was shunning him.

She shook her head, blaming Ichigo for her confliction and shrugged nonchalantly to answer Mizuiro. "I don't really have a preference _where_ I go, as long as I _am_ going. So I'll just go with whatever he decides."

"That's so-" Orihime caught herself before she squealed and spoke in a lower tone. "That's so romantic Kuchiki-san!" Orihime gave Rukia a big smile, but stopped when Mizuiro gave her a short glare. Orihime dove into a random book innocently, pretending she hadn't said anything at all.

"I'm just saying," Mizuiro continued, "that you have a lot of options and you shouldn't let Ichigo tie you down."

"Did you know women in Japan are waiting to get married later in life?" Orihime popped up from the random book with her newfound knowledge. "So there's plenty of time for you to settle down!

"Orihime!" Mizuiro scolded.

"I'm sorry!" She put a hand to her mouth. "I'm not saying you and Kurosaki-kun should get married! I was just saying there's time to plan for the wedding and stuff."

"Orihime!" Mizuiro grabbed the book that seemed to be causing a lot of trouble at the table.

"Sorry again!" Orihime covered her mouth with both hands to stop her from getting over excited again.

Mizuiro closed his eyes and took a dignified posture. "Kuchiki-san is a classy, sophisticated, older woman. She can do much better than Ichigo."

Rukia looked at Mizuiro. " I told you I'm not interested in you that way." She deadpanned.

Since the young womanizer had learned that Rukia was a _bit_ older than she had originally let on, he'd become as attentive as Keigo. "No, no Kuchiki-san! I just think that Ichigo's a bit immature for a woman of your standing. You should go for someone more like experienced like Renji-"

"Mizuiro!" Orihime dropped her hands from her mouth and pointed an accusing finger at him. "Direct influences are strictly against the rules!"

Rukia rose her eyebrow in suspicion. Perhaps her friends were being helpful because of an ulterior motive…

"What's going on?" She asked slowly while narrowing her eyes.

They shook their heads fervently.

"Nothing!" Orihime smiled a fearful grin. "Everything's fine! We're just trying to support you."

"Here Rukia!" Mizuiro decided it was his turn to use the offending book to change the subject once again, and shoved it under Rukia's nose. "Wow, this book says not only are women waiting to get married like Inoue-san said, but they're having sex at a younger age too! It's a win-win situation for you!"

"What the hell are you guys teaching her!" Ichigo stormed up to the table, with Renji in tow and snatched the book before Rukia could look at a few interesting illustrations.

"Shh!" Rukia reprimanded. "This room is called a library and it's common courtesy to lower your voice. Not shout obscenities!"

To Rukia's surprise, Ichigo quickly shut his mouth and lowered his eyes guiltily away from her.

"Sorry Rukia." Renji spoke up using his indoor voice. "I just came to tell you that I'm going back to Soul Society for a little while to recruit some guys to help out with your house."

"How did you know I was here?" She asked. Still wondering why Ichigo was acting like a kicked puppy.

"That doesn't matter." Renji said as he leaned onto the table supporting himself with both arms. "I just wanted to get your permission before I invited other shinigami to help."

"Why would you need her permission?" Orihime asked.

Ichigo rolled his eyes, while Renji scratched his neck uncomfortably. "Well, there's kinda more to it…I kinda need Rukia's help with the incentive to get them to come…"

"What kind of incentive are you talking about?" Rukia questioned. Favors for Renji were rarely easy ones.

Ichigo spoke bluntly, "You need to throw a kegger to get them to come at all." Renji threw Ichigo a glare, as he would have put the statement a little more delicately. But Mizuiro just smiled at the prospect of a wild party at Kuchiki's. He could practically smell Keigo's influence over the idea.

Rukia had recently leaned that a 'kegger' was another term for a party in the human realm. Specifically it was a party that consisted on the basis of having alcohol. A lot of alcohol. And knowing Renji's friends, it made sense that a lot of alcohol in the human realm would be a great incentive.

She gave a silent thanks to the school library's vast collection of books before surprising everyone with her awareness of what a kegger was and her idea on the party in general. "A keg party is acceptable as long as I don't have to pay for all the alcohol and it gets my house done in a timely manner."

Renji, Orihime, and Mizuiro cheered quietly while Ichigo looked fairly surprised. "Wait, you're actually going to let a bunch of shinigami from Soul Society-Renji's friends no less-drunkenly crash your place right after they've fixed it up?"

"What other option do I have Ichigo?" Rukia shrugged. "Free labor, is free labor."

"It's not free if you're gonna have to pay for the alcohol!" Ichigo's voice rose as he argued with her. "You know Renji's gonna have guys from the 11th division come down here! Not to mention it's a party, so Matsumoto will come! The amount they'll drink will cost more than if we went ahead and bought you a brand new house!"

Rukia began to get angry as well. "You're exaggerating Ichigo. And I don't understand why you're so against this idea when you don't have anything to contribute yourself."

Ichigo's kicked puppy look had turned a little more rabid as he bent down closer to Rukia so his voice wouldn't carry throughout the whole library. "I'm just being logical! Parties cost money! You can't throw one to counter your lack of money!"

"Well if somebody had helped me get a job, money wouldn't be an issue!" She put her fists on the table showing her agitation and her lose of patience.

Ichigo kept pressing and ignored her warning signals. "I did try and help you!"

"Yeah, I guess you were helping if you thought my only marketable skill was prostitution!"

The table sat in an awkward silence.

Ichigo immediately backed off and looked away with guilt all over his face again.

"Um…Keigo offered to finance the whole thing…" Renji offered with an inflection that made the statement sound more like a question.

"If Keigo's paying for the whole thing, I don't really have anything to object to." Ichigo spoke with a defeated scowl. Rukia had shamelessly labeled about 10 different Ichigo scowls. "It's your decision anyway Rukia. I was just giving my opinion." He crossed his arms with a sigh as he backed up to lean on a bookshelf to ease the tension that had fallen over the small group.

"So Rukia?" Renji asked once the atmosphere was considerably lighter. "What will it be?"

Rukia shrugged and opened her hands up with a small smile. "I guess you better tell Soul Society, party at Kuchiki's."

Renji was about to pump his elbow in triumph, before Rukia quickly added with a hint of threat. "That is of course, after they fix up the place." She pointed a finger at him. "And I mean fixed damn it! I'm not staying in a home that will cave in on me!"

"Sure Rukia!" Renji smiled, sensing the threat in her voice. "It's not like I'm gonna half ass it-"

"Like you do everything else…" Ichigo muttered. Renji was about to bite back, but Mizuiro spoke first.

"A party at Rukia's will be a blast! It already sounds like the highlight of the year actually." He pat a hand on her shoulder. "You're a pretty popular student Rukia."

"I am?" Rukia asked confused.

"Oh yeah," Orihime nodded excitedly. "Everyone's already talking about you and Kuro-Um…everyone's really interested in getting to know more about you!"

Ichigo jumped into action and pointed dramatically at the girl. "You're in on it too Inoue!"

"In-in on wh-what? Kurosaki-kun?" she tried to look innocent. And Mizuiro ducked a little in his seat.

Rukia watched Ichigo and Renji glare at the others. Turned out her intuition on ulterior motives was spot on. "I knew something was up. What's going on?"

Orihime and Mizuiro just avoided her gaze and Renji turned away too, looking a shade or two off from his hair. Ichigo grumbled as he was the bravest one to speak up.

"They have a stupid bet going on. Apparently it's a pretty popular bet if _all_ our friends are in on it."

"It's harmless Ichigo." Mizuiro spoke up for himself.

"And," Rukia could hear Ichigo's teeth grinding together. "I heard you bet against me…"

"Ichigo, it's nothing personal!" Mizuiro jumped of his chair and onto his knees. Apparently expecting to die on the spot. "I swear! It's just that dating older women is more expensive than dating a typical high school girl! I need Renji to pull the upset!"

Renji stopped blushing and started twitching. "Hey, why the hell are the odds against me?"

"Well no one else at school knows about your and Rukia's long history together." Mizuiro pleaded, trying to satisfy both Ichigo and Renji to no avail.

"Wait, the bet's about me and Renji?" Rukia asked. She was still a little unclear about the details of the bet. But she got the feeling she wasn't going to like it at all…

"And Ichigo…" Orihime admitted.

Rukia slumped her shoulders ashamed. "I can't believe it." She said mournfully.

"Just ignore them Rukia." Ichigo attempted to be helpful. "It's just a stupid bet based on rumors, no one knows what they're talking about."

Rukia shook her head. "I just can't believe I've let my anger slip so much that people are actually taking bets on which of you I kill first."

Rukia finally understood why Ichigo took time to craft his 'image', no matter how stupid it was. It put a wall between the rest of the high school and him. Rukia was perceived as a goody-two-shoes and it often worked to her advantage. Now all that hard work at gaining everyone's false trust was gone…

"That's not what they're betting!" Ichigo cried out insulted.

"Bet the odds wouldn't be against me then…" Renji grunted.

"Oh." Rukia said relieved. "Then what is it?"

Orihime just laughed. "I'll explain it to you Kuchiki-san, because it really is an interesting story." Orihime leaned in, causing everyone around her to pull in closer to the center of the table to hear.

"According to the school," She started as if she were beginning a saga. "You, Kuchiki-san are an international mystery woman who jet-sets around the world planting herself in local high schools posing as the transfer student. Kurosaki-kun is the rough and untouchable wounded man who's finally been able to love again when you pop into his life."

She was saying everything with a straight face…

"Then comes Abarai-kun who's followed you all over the world just to understand your mystery and win your heart! When the two men who are vying for your affections meet, an all out battle ensues! But you've threatened to take off again to parts unknown if they dare lay a hand on each other, because you've grown quite fond of each of them. So now they're waiting with bated breath and their hearts on the line to see which of them you'll pick to run away and elope with!"

Everyone stared at Orihime except for Mizuiro, who had, sadly, heard this rendition of the love triangle before. Rukia was shocked thinking that the situation was utterly preposterous…but it would make a great manga.

Mizuiro broke the silence. "She didn't make that up." He said sadly shaking his head. "That's one of many theories surrounding you three, and it's actually the most innocent of them all."

"They get worse?" Ichigo looked mortified having now heard the specific details.

"Well…let's just say that if Kuchiki-san wasn't so petite and small, everyone would be thinking she's carrying one of your children as we speak."

"What?!" A collective cry of outrage came from the potentially expecting.

"Yeah," Mizuiro continued, trying to sound comforting, "but like I said, you're petite, so only the real perverts and morons believe in that tale."

Rukia clutched her stomach at the thought and from the corner of her eye, noticed a few students start pointing excitedly. She quickly moved her hand to place both palms flat on the table. Of course this was happening. The students in school would have to be blind and deaf, if they hadn't noticed the way Ichigo and Renji competed for her attention. Rukia was more upset that being a participant in the bet made her exempt from making any money from the situation herself. She made a mental note to look into gambling careers and their connotation in the living world. Then she simply took a deep breath and let it out.

"Well none of this foolishness matters. It's all ridiculous." She crossed her arms and refused to let it get to her.

"Yeah," Renji reaffirmed. "It would totally be my baby..."

"Renji!" Ichigo cried out.

"Can twins be from different fathers?" Orihime put her finger on her chin in question.

"Stop it Inoue!" Ichigo waved his hands in front of him. "You're gonna start another rumor!"

"Actually…" Mizuiro murmured.

Ichigo tried burying his head in his hands. And Renji just gave Ichigo a punch in the arm. "That's what you get for being so obvious!"

"I'm not being-" Ichigo began to yell until Rukia broke in loudly before things got ugly.

"Stop. Rumors aren't important and it's better to ignore them." Rukia was used to whispers behind her back, which is probably why she didn't notice she was the talk of the high school earlier.

"I'm sorry Kuchiki-san." Orihime looked downcast. "I was just trying to help…I suppose we've actually been taking advantage of you."

Rukia smiled. "Don't worry about it Inoue. But…if you really want to help, there is some stuff that you can do for me." Rukia looked to all her friends. "That all of you can do for me actually."

"Anything Rukia!" Renji said eagerly. Mizuiro and Ichigo nodded in agreement. Rukia noticed that Ichigo looked a bit more sincere about helping her out than he had been in the recent week. Perhaps his screwy behavior had finally run it's course.

Rukia smiled broadly and stood up from her seat. "Great! First off, Mizuiro, could you go _talk_ to the librarian and make sure she doesn't ban us from ever coming here again?" She was sure cursing loudly and speaking of prostitution wasn't something the librarian appreciated.

Mizuiro gave a slightly perverted smile, seemingly appreciating the task he was given. "I'll get right on it Kuchiki-san…" And with that, he left to work his charms on the unsuspecting bookkeeper.

"Inoue and Ichigo, you two can join up with Tatsuki and the others to tell them I've agreed with the party idea, and tell them it's going to be held next weekend. I'll leave the planning for you guys to figure out."

Orihime gave Rukia a stiff salute and then started out of the building, but Ichigo hesitated at the table, he obviously had another agenda in seeking Rukia out.

For now, Rukia ignored him and looked to Renji. "Renji. You go to Soul Society and bribe them with alcohol. But make sure you tell them that it must be completed by next weekend in order for them to receive their payment and attend the party."

Renji nodded with a smirk and was about to take off, when Rukia called his attention with her tone. "Abarai."

The lieutenant almost winced at the Byakuya-like quality of command in her voice. He turned back to her at full attention. "Yes sir? Uh, I mean ma'am…uh, I mean Rukia? Ma'am? Officer? Shit, you're scary sometimes…"

Rukia gave a small smile before putting on her scary face again. "Make sure they know I'm expecting top quality workmanship."

Ichigo had to stop himself from busting a gut in laughter, but he couldn't hide the big smirk on his face. He was just happy that Rukia's ire was on Renji and not him.

Renji saluted Rukia a lot like Orihime had. "I'll make sure they do a great job Rukia! I won't let you down." He stopped saluting and gave Rukia a little grin with a wink. "I'm not Byakuya's lieutenant for nothing."

"Good. Dismissed!" Rukia nodded.

Renji ran off, taking to Rukia's mission as if she were Byakuya himself. Rukia smiled to herself. She really did have good friends, and she was feeling more confident in her skills as a superior officer.

"Rukia?"

Oh yeah, the pumpkin for brains hadn't left yet. Rukia started to get nervous and glanced around. The library wasn't totally empty, but it wasn't very populated either. She felt as if she was finally on track and she couldn't afford to have Ichigo…put the moves on her. Rukia frowned. She hated that his idiot 'moves' actually affected her.

"Yes Ichigo?" She knew she couldn't avoid him forever. She was actually surprised he'd only found her hiding spot just now.

Ichigo sighed and scratched his head, wearing another scowl. "I just…I wanted to say…I wanted…" Ichigo started walking closer to Rukia and she felt her body temperature rise with every step he took. Rukia cursed herself, he wasn't even doing anything and he was still getting her worked up.

"Not now Ichigo." She said quickly.

Ichigo stopped walking and scowled. "Look I'm just trying-"

Rukia interrupted him and pulled a pile of books into her arms. He seemed more sensible today, so she tried a different approach instead of awkward avoidance. "Ichigo, I know you're trying to be helpful, but the best way to do that right now would be to go help Inoue plan the party." She started moving the stack of books to return them to their shelves. "I know party planning isn't' your thing, but I need you to keep an eye on Keigo so things don't get out of hand."

Ichigo put his hands in his pockets and his scowl softened. "Yeah…" he said slowly. "I guess I'm gonna be the one to convince him to _actually_ pay for the whole party."

Rukia smiled. "That would really help me out Ichigo."

He smirked back. "Yeah…you would probably have an easier time convincing him, but you told me to stop pimping you out right?"

Ichigo dodged the book Rukia threw at him and grinned at her.

But the second book knocked the grin off his face.

"Damn it Rukia!" He cried out rubbing his face. "I think a library is the most dangerous place for you to be!"

Rukia laughed. "Yes, I've finally mastered heavy human books and use them at my disposal!"

"Whatever, just remind me to clear out my shelves at home." Ichigo started walking out of the library and Rukia felt all stress leave her body. He was finally back to normal. And that remark about pimping her out was pretty good for him…Annoying…but pretty witty.

Rukia looked away from Ichigo's retreating form and went back to clear her table. Now Ichigo wasn't even trying to get her attention and he had it. She blamed her gigai. It was a wonder teenage girls got anything accomplished.

"Thank goodness Kurosaki pulled his head from his behind huh Kuchiki?"

Rukia was so startled by Ochi-sensei approaching behind her and saying…that, she dropped all the books she was carrying.

"O-Ochi-sensei! Wh-what are you talking about?" Rukia looked openly shocked at her odd teacher.

"I was spending my free period being entertained by you kids and your antics." She lounged in a chair at the table and brought forth a half eaten bag of popcorn.

Rukia looked around to see if the librarian was watching them, because she was sure there was a rule against food in the library. Unfortunately, Mizuiro was currently handling said rule keeper. That guy was too good at what he did…

"I'm glad Kurosaki finally got it together. He should have known that it's better to play hard to get. I've got a months salary riding on him."

Rukia gaped at her teacher. Rumors and bets among the students was one thing, but did her teacher have to be in on it too?! Rukia's eyes widened as she gaped when she realized Ochi-sensei probably wasn't the only teacher who was in on it…

Ochi-sensei ignored Rukia's obviously distressed reaction and continued. "But I gotta tell you Kuchiki, I really liked the way you handled all of them. That showed some real talent." She put down the popcorn and put a slightly buttery hand on Rukia's head. "You know, as a sexy young teacher filled with a high school full of teenage boys, I've really had to work on those skills that you seem to be a natural at."

Rukia's lip curled at what could only be described as way too much information. But she was being given a compliment…"Umm…thank…you?"

"No problem Kuchiki-san. I'm just saying you've got a real talent at keeping drooling boys at bay and morons preoccupied with busy work. You might want to look into a teaching profession."

Rukia was intrigued at the prospect of having a skill that was profitable, but also a bit insulted. She wasn't sure, but she thought she was just called a moron…

"I heard about your financial problems Kuchiki and I'd like you to stop by the kindergarten school after your classes are over. I work there after school and I was looking for some extra hands."

"Really?" Rukia asked sincerely.

"Yeah. I just need someone to help entertain the kids. It pays well, but you'd have to do things like color, read stories, watch that Chappy-"

"I'll do it!" Rukia literally jumped onto a chair to shake her teachers shoulders.

"Wow, really excited to enter the work force huh?" Ochi-sensei asked while being jerked around.

"Work? Oh, yeah," Rukia immediately stepped down and stopped abusing her future employer. "I mean yes of course I'm excited to work!"

"Well great then," Ochi-sensei leaned in really close with a knowing smirk, "By the way, I'm invited to this awesome party you're gonna have right?"

"Um…well…"

"I'm just yanking your chain Kuchiki! I'd drink all you lightweights under the table! But thanks for humoring me." And with that remark, Ochi-sensei laughed her way out of library. "I'll see ya in a little while!" she called back.

This school, positively, had the _strangest_ teachers. Then again, if Karakura high was a functioning education system and it was run by a bunch of weirdos, then maybe Rukia could find her own place as a teacher in the future. She did a pretty good job teaching Ichigo how to be a shinigami and he was…well he was Ichigo. She must have had some serious talent.

Rukia finished putting away her semi-destroyed book fortress as the dismissal bell for the school rang out. Everything was falling into place. She had all of her college prep work done, she had a job prospect that sounded more like a play date in her opinion, and her house construction had a tangible deadline. Rukia started down the stairs towards the school exit. For once the happy schoolgirl smile Rukia was brandishing was completely authentic. Her thoughts drifted to Ichigo for a second, when she suddenly heard him call her name.

"Rukia." Ichigo had been leaning against the side of the building, waiting for her to come out. Before Rukia could greet him he spoke again.

"I'm sorry."

Rukia jerked in surprise. "You're sorry? For what?" It wasn't like Ichigo to apologize unless he felt he didn't protect someone or…if Rukia was pulling his hair or something.

"It's what I was trying to tell you earlier." He rolled his eyes. "Look I don't wanna get all dramatic. I just figured I've been acting stupid all week and I owed it to you to apologize."

Rukia grinned and crossed her arms. "Yeah, you've been pretty stupid. But I should be used to that shouldn't I?"

Ichigo narrowed his eyes before grinning slightly himself. "I'm only helping you because I promised to. Quit making me regret it all the time."

"Well did you talk to Keigo about paying for everything?" Rukia struck up conversation and started walking with Ichigo away from the school.

Ichigo looked straight ahead, not making eye contact. "It's taken care of." He said.

"You didn't break his legs or something did you?" Rukia asked noting his avoidance.

"Would that really bother?"

"Actually don't tell me. I don't want to be labeled an accomplice." Rukia turned a corner causing Ichigo to stop walking.

"Where are you going?" He grabbed her arm lightly.

Rukia stopped walking and turned to Ichigo with a smug look. "I found myself a job."

Ichigo snorted. "What kind of job?"

Rukia glared, insulted that he apparently thought she was helpless without him. "I happen to have found a job working at the kindergarten school."

"Are you sure someone didn't just confuse you for a kindergarten student?"

She would have punched him, but he was still holding one arm and the other was holding her bag. So she kicked him quickly in the shin.

"Ow! Damn it!" Ichigo jerked away to avoid another attack.

"It was Ochi-sensei who hired me. She said she liked the way I handled you idiots when you were bothering me."

Ichigo stopped hopping around. "Are you sure you wanna hang out with a bunch of snotty brats?"

"I hang out with you don't I?" Rukia shot back.

"Rukia I'm-"

"Why are you always against every idea that you didn't come up with?" Rukia snapped a little. He had been making things difficult again.

Ichigo slumped exasperated. "I'm not trying to be disagreeable."

Rukia gave him a look that suggested she thought otherwise, but he ignored her and continued. "I just want to make sure you know what you're getting into and it's what you want. I know you can do stuff on your own…I'm just not used to it yet…"

Rukia relented. "Ichigo I still need your help doing some things. Just don't expect me to call you for everything….is this why you didn't want me to move out in the first place?" Rukia remembered how hard she had to convince him to start fixing up her house in the beginning.

"I guess so. I can't help but feel somewhat responsible for the trouble you cause."

Rukia snorted. "How do you think I felt when you busted into Soul Society?"

"Well I was saving your ass, so you can't complain."

"And I told you-" Ichigo slapped a hand on Rukia's mouth while he rolled his eyes.

"Let's not do this again. I give up, you win. Blah blah, just tell me what I can do to help you out." He let his hand drop and Rukia nodded at him with a smile.

"You can show me where the school is exactly." As excited as she was accepting the job, she forgot to ask where it was.

Ichigo threw his head back into the sky. "You're so freaking annoying." He took her hand and pulled her in the opposite direction they were walking. "You turn a corner without even knowing why you're turning and accept a job when you have no idea where it's at." He looked down and met her eyes. He was complaining, but his scowl was a happy one. Rukia let herself smile back.

"I guess I'm going to need your help now and then aren't I?" she asked.

"Yeah." Ichigo breathed out. "Now if you could only learn how to say 'thank you'."

Rukia squeezed the hand she was still holding, but not in any manner that would be considered endearing. Ichigo winced and bit his lip pretending that her tiny hand wasn't crushing his manly one. "I'll say 'thank you' when you do something that's worth my gratitude."

"Well you can start now." Ichigo dropped her hand quickly and rubbed his sore digits. "We're here."

Rukia looked at the area in front of them to see a small building, at least one smaller than the high school, surrounded by big plastic toys and playground equipment. There were small children running around at random and the air was filled with laughter and the slapping of tiny shoes.

It was completely different from the way she spent her childhood.

Rukia saw Ochi-sensei waving at her from a doorway and making a motion for Rukia to come inside. She was about to wave back when she felt Ichigo's hand slap her on the head and rub vigorously.

"Now don't take candy from strangers, mind your elders, and keep away from the bigger kids who might take your milk money." He mocked.

Rukia glared and punched him in the gut before looking back at him apprehensively. There were a lot of kids, and to be honest…she wasn't _that _much taller than them.

"Um…do you want to come inside with me for a little bit?" Rukia asked almost timidly.

"Are you telling me you can face hollows but not four-year-olds?" Ichigo rose his eyebrows.

Rukia huffed. "I was just offering so that you might feel a bit helpful. I could have found this place if I were drunk and blindfolded."

"Well make sure they don't catch you drinking on the job. Big taboo in the human world." Ichigo said lamely as he started walking away. "I've got some stuff to do, just…" He looked back at her with what Rukia thought was an almost sweet scowl. Then he gave a half smile. "You'll be fine, try to have some fun."

Rukia could hear the some kids singing the Chappy theme song, and she knew Ichigo was right. She started running into the building before they got to her favorite verse. She was going to get paid for this and…she could smell cookies! Best job ever.

* * *

_AN: Sorry for the late-ish update. But I have a reason, and maybe a bit of a nice surprise for some people...Although that really doesn't have anything to do with this story...Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter!_


	10. Working

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. But I happily obsess over it to distract myself from other things!_

_

* * *

_

Chapter 10-Working

* * *

_After dropping Rukia off at the kindergarten, Ichigo headed back to the high school. He knew his friends were on the rooftop still planning for the party. After 'convincing' Keigo to finance the bulk of it, the guy had been full of ideas and was most likely still raving about them to everyone else._

_Sure enough, when he got to the school, Ichigo found his friends still hanging around on the rooftop. Only now they were gathered around a laptop. Ichigo paused at the doorway before barging in._

"_Alright, at least 10 people have been eliminated because Ichigo and Renji made it to the weekend without any broken bones." Mizuiro spoke as he was seated directly in front of the laptop._

"_And 6 more have been dropped because neither one proposed outright." Tatsuki added._

"_Oh man!" Keigo whined. "I'm already down 20!" He grabbed his head between his hands and shook slowly._

_Tatsuki crossed her arms and sneered at him. "What made you think anyone was going to confess so soon anyway? You've known Ichigo for a long time now, you should know how stubbornly dense he is."_

"_I just didn't think those guys could keep quiet for so long." Keigo stopped mourning and went back to his sparkling self. "I can barely keep my feet off the ground when I think of Kuchiki-san and all her beautiful, graceful, shining glory!"_

"_Oi!" Ichigo made his presence known before he could hear anything else that would set him off. "What the hell are you guys rattling off about?" He said angrily. _

"_J-just a few business dealings Ichigo!" Mizuiro smiled and quickly shut his laptop._

"_And did you just call me dense Tatsuki?" Ichigo turned his anger towards the black-haired girl who didn't look fazed in the least. _

"_I just call it like I see it Ichigo." She shrugged._

"_Are you here to help with the party planning Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime chimed in before Ichigo could call Tatsuki something else._

_Ichigo crossed his arms and scowled heavily. He really didn't have time to bicker with his idiot friends who were trying to make a buck off of him. He needed to make his own buck if he wanted to help out Rukia and be useful._

"_It didn't sound like you were planning any party." He grumbled. "Why don't you guys scram and actually make yourselves useful to Rukia instead of profiting off of her." Ichigo knew he didn't have a lot of room to talk. But his scowl was strong enough, and his general mood told his friends he wasn't to be trifled with at that time._

_Tatsuki nodded slowly, sensing his attitude, and for once not challenging it. "Yeah, lets reconvene somewhere with a refrigerator. I'm starving." _

"_I'd be happy to host a get together at my house!" Orihime offered. "I have plenty of bread for sandwiches, tuna, graham crackers, olives, and red bean paste."_

_Ishida surprised everyone with a slight blush on his face before saying, "Um…it's actually quite good…once you get used to it."_

_Orihime beamed, but everyone else looked nauseous. _

_Ichigo grimaced. "You guys go on ahead. I need to talk to Ishida about his sense of taste real quick." He jerked his head signaling for people to leave, and the group obliged. They were hoping whatever the Quincy had caught wasn't contagious._

_Ishida pushed his glasses up his nose and huffed. "My sense of taste is just fine Kurosaki. It's actually quite acute if I'm able to enjoy-"_

"_I don't give a damn about your whacked taste buds or even that stupid bet you guys were talking about. I just need to ask you a favor." Ichigo gruffed out._

"_Oh I see Kurosaki, you've finally decided to swallow your pride and ask me to give you some girl advice." Ishida smiled smugly._

"_I thought being a glasses wearing dork was supposed to mean you're smart." Ichigo said, honestly confused._

_Ishida sniffed. "We you trying to ask me a favor or ask me to punch you?"_

"_Look," Ichigo started, and then actually did swallow his pride. He hated asking anything of anyone…especially Ishida who would surely hold it over his head forever. That damn things he would do for Rukia. " I was wondering if you could talk to your dad about giving me a job."_

_Ishida arched his eyebrows and looked in surprise. "A job? My father? You want to work at his hospital?"_

_Ichigo stared. "Well I'm not asking to be your nanny. Yeah dumb ass, I was hoping I could help out there part time."_

_Ignoring Ichigo calling him a dumb ass while asking a favor, Ishida continued. "Don't you get enough time with injured people at your fathers clinic?"_

"_Well I don't get paid when I help out there." Ichigo shrugged and looked way. He didn't enjoy answering so many questions._

"_Oh I see now." Ishida smirked. "You've finally decided to stop acting like a fool and more like a man."_

"_Something like that." Ichigo sneered. "So what do you say?"_

"_Well my father hates you more than I do." Ishida said thoughtfully._

"_I'm assuming you mean shinigami in general?" Ichigo asked with a bit of an edge._

"_Whatever. But…I suppose if you really wanted a job…the hospital is pretty big, he might not notice one more idiot intern."_

"_It would really help me out Ishida." Ichigo looked to the ground, not being able to meet Ishida's eyes anymore. "It would really help Rukia out."_

"_Yes, I'm sure I could work something out and get you a position there. I have a lot of swing with the people who work under my father." Ishida nodded firmly at Ichigo who slightly smiled back._

"_Thanks a lot Ishida. I owe you one. But…could you-"_

"_You want some discretion in this matter yes?" Ishida tipped his head in understanding before Ichigo could get the words out._

_Ichigo nodded. "Yeah that would be best." _

"_Well no problem Kurosaki." Ishida smiled. " I'm good at keeping secrets."_

_Ichigo expected a catch and looked at the Quincy suspiciously. "Don't you want something in return?" he asked with narrowed eyes._

"_Not everyone is out for themselves Kurosaki. Maybe that's just a shinigami thing." Ishida chided. "But on the honor of the Quincy, I don't accept bribes. I'm just doing this out of the goodness of my own heart."_

…

"_You bet on me to get Rukia didn't you?"_

"_About a years worth of sewing supplies."_

_Ichigo shook his head. "You're such a loser."_

"_Ahem…" Ishida titled his head. "Still in impolite brute even when you need help." He said with distaste. _

"_Sorry." Ichigo muttered before walking off with Ishida to make arrangements. He wanted to get started as soon as possible. _

_Although he did already regret asking Ishida by that smug grin that graced his face. Once he'd saved enough money to really help out Rukia, he'd make sure to wipe it off for him. But for now he was just happy to finally be taking a step in the right direction. _

_Ichigo had never given much thought to what kind of career he might pursue, but being a doctor did run in the family. He'd grown up in a clinic and he was sure he'd find himself at home, so to speak, working at a hospital._

Hospital work sucked.

He hated it. He'd been working there for almost a week and he already couldn't stand the place. They had been running him ragged. Every time someone vomited, peed, or…any other kind of disgusting bodily fluid, Ichigo was the one called to take care of it. If he hadn't of known for a fact that Ishida's father wasn't aware he was working there, he would have thought he was purposefully being tortured. Sure he had to do his fair share of dirty work at his own home clinic, but at least the building was small. Ishida's hospital was practically a town in itself and Ichigo was lucky enough to have to cover all floors from top to bottom.

But what Ichigo really hated about working at the hospital had nothing to do with the random tasks he was assigned. He knew that if he got an education and became a doctor, those things wouldn't be a part of his duties anyway. What Ichigo deeply hated about the hospital, was how useless he felt. He was meant to protect people, but everyone who came into the doors was already injured. They were sick, or in pain, or dying. He needed more from life than to fix the mistakes of others. Ichigo wanted to spend his life preventing injury, not cleaning up the mess. Literally and figuratively.

He would have quit in a second if he hadn't been working for the sole purpose of supporting Rukia. He decided that she was worth the bitter feeling that had settled in his stomach after a day of work. And even though she didn't know it, Rukia had been the remedy to such pains as well.

Ichigo rounded a corner and the one story kindergarten school came into view. It was the highlight of his day. His guilty pleasure had been visiting Rukia and watching her work after he was done for the afternoon. He couldn't quite explain what he took from watching her, but he knew it made him happy.

Ichigo walked up to the waist high wooden fence and leaned against a tree outside of it. He realized he might look a bit odd if he were caught watching the playground of a kids school, but he'd been doing it everyday the past week and no one had noticed him. Not even Rukia had an inkling he had been visiting. She was pretty busy though. Ichigo smiled to himself.

He could see Rukia holding hands with the kindergarteners dancing in a small circle. She practically glowed. Growing up in Rukongai, Rukia probably never had the chance to play and be carefree like a kid should. So now, even though she was centuries older than her students, she played with the same excitement and eagerness as they did. Seeing Kuchiki Rukia spin around with a bunch of 6-year-olds until they all fell to the ground in a fit of giggles, made Ichigo forget the uptight, duty-bound Rukia who pestered him about hollows. Playing suited her well.

"What's your name?" A small voice jarred Ichigo from his thoughts and he looked down to see a small girl with bows in her brown hair staring up at him.

She nodded as if she recognized him. "You look like an orange haired bear I've seen." She confirmed.

Ichigo had no idea about orange haired bears, but figured the kid just had a really colorful imagination. But he was caught, and he wasn't just going to ignore her. "Uh…that's nice. But I'm not a bear. My name's Ichigo, I'm Rukia's friend. Do you know Kuchiki Rukia?" he asked gently.

People his own age seemed to think Ichigo had a scary face, but for some reason, little kids were taken with him. The little girl just smiled brightly and nodded with excitement. "I know Rukia! My name's- " A brunette boy, a mere inch taller than the girl jumped up and started pulling on her hair.

"Ow! Stop it Teo!" the girl whined and tried to pry the boy's fingers from her hair.

"Rukia said don't talk to strangers Kiyo!" The boy let go, but pulled the girl behind him and stood between her and Ichigo. He crossed his arms and glared bravely.

Ichigo smirked, appreciating Teo's spunk. He bent down and ruffled the boy's head causing the boy to stumble back and forth.

"That's pretty smart teaching you not to talk to strangers. But you can't go around pulling girls' hair either." He let go of the kid who was rubbing his head and glaring even harder at Ichigo.

"That is, unless they really deserve it." Ichigo added with a thought to the bratty girls he grew up with.

"Teo," Kiyo pulled on the boys arm to get his attention, "This is Ichigo! The one Rukia talks about! He can be our friend."

Ichigo's ego inflated a fraction, at discovering Rukia talked about him to the kids she looked after.

But Teo didn't look convinced. "I thought the Ichigo she was talking about was a girl. Ichigo is a girls name after all! You're pretty tall and ugly to be a girl, Ichigo."

There went his ego. A six year old was getting the best of him. Ichigo leaned down to give the little twerp a noogie or something, but was interrupted by the company of another person.

"I know you're not over here talking to a stranger." Rukia approached them tensely, but quickly relaxed at the sight of Ichigo.

"Ichigo? What are you dong here attacking my students?" The children ran to Rukia, smiling brightly and each attached themselves to one of her arms. Apparently Rukia was good with children too.

"I told Kiyo not to!" Teo bragged. He earned a pat on the head from Rukia and Ichigo frowned at the way the boy practically purred under her hand.

"Suck up." Ichigo muttered.

Rukia threw him a look before Kiyo pulled her arm for attention. "I'm sorry Rukia! I just recognized him as the bear you drew for us. I thought he was our friend!"

"You're not actually teaching them how to draw are you?" Ichigo asked frightened and appalled at the idea.

Rukia sighed deeply and bit her tongue. She ignored Ichigo and looked down to the kids, "It's okay, we can trust Ichigo, just make sure to be a little more cautious around people the next time." She pushed them gently to usher them towards the building. "It's time to go inside for now though, I'll be right with you after to I talk to Ichigo."

Teo looked darkly at Ichigo, then smiled at Rukia. "If he tries any funny stuff, just call me okay Rukia?"

"I'll keep that in mind…why don't you look after Kiyo for now." Rukia smiled and waved at the two kids skipping back to the classroom, before turning a quick scowl to Ichigo.

"Wow Rukia, I didn't know you'd get a job and a boyfriend working here." Ichigo teased dryly.

With the kids out of sight, Rukia pinched Ichigo in the arm quickly, before crossing her own arms.

"I can't believe you have the nerve to hide in the bushes like a creepy stalker and then get jealous over a six year old." She chastised.

"I'm not jealous! I just didn't realize puberty hit kids so early these days." He ducked away from another painful pinch, because no matter how many times he was stabbed…pinching still hurt damn it.

"Ichigo, what are you doing here?" Rukia asked a little more seriously.

"I was just on my way back home from your house." He answered simply, albeit dishonestly.

"That's funny." Rukia put a finger to her chin in mock contemplation. "Because this school is no where near my house or yours."

Ichigo thought of a quick lie. "I found a short cut."

"What kind of shortcut?" She asked, obviously not believing a word he said.

"Shit Rukia, -" she slapped him in the middle of his exasperated sigh.

"Don't swear at my place of work!" she scolded.

"Well gee-golly Rukia!" Ichigo mocked. "You're not the only one who's busy. I just had a few minutes to come check things out with you. I just wanted to make sure you hadn't burned down the building or anything. Who knows what kind of influence you're having on these little monsters."

Rukia sighed herself. "I'm just going to take that as an, 'I missed you Rukia.' In that round about way that men call thought process."

Ichigo snored. "Take it as whatever you want. So how's it going?"

He did miss her though. That was something else he hated about working at the hospital. He worked impossible hours, and he was only interning. He worked a few hours before school, after school, then he'd make his way to Rukia's house for a short time, and finally at night he went back to the hospital again. He was pushing himself hard, maybe even a little too hard. It would be fine for a short time, but Ichigo knew that if he wanted to keep an eye on Rukia, or spend time with her in general he'd need a new occupation eventually. He was finding out that being a doctor wasn't for him.

"I've been fine, but what's been keeping you so busy lately?" She tried to keep her tone neutral, but he could tell she missed him too.

The only reason he hadn't told her about his job was because he knew she'd make him quit if she found out he was doing it for her. She would never accept the money he was earning. It almost made him miss the days before Soul Society took Rukia away. Back then, she had no problem using what she called, The Bank of Ichigo. No matter how many times he argued that banks don't just let you spend all the money you want without something in return. But that wasn't really the point of it…

Now she was asking why he was so busy, and until Ichigo spent his paycheck on something non-refundable that she'd have to accept, he had to lie to her. It was near impossible lying to Rukia, so he used as much truth as he could. "Well you're not the only one going through senior year Rukia. I've got stuff to take care of too."

She smiled at him smugly. "You should take advantage of the college prep class period Ichigo. I've already completed all my school applications."

He jerked his head in surprise. "You-you know where you're going already? You…picked some place without me? I-I mean without my help?" he stammered quickly.

"Rukia!" The young students called to her from the building. Ichigo saw a pack of small heads and hands waving at Rukia through a doorway.

"Well…I guess I'll go now." Ichigo scowled to hide the awkwardness he was feeling. "You seem to be doing just fine here, now that you've made them your little minions." He joked lightly.

"Um…Wait," Rukia held onto his elbow to keep him from turning away. "Do you wanna stay Ichigo?" Then she rolled her eyes with a smirk. "Come on, I know you're itching to watch those little terrors walk all over me the way you never can."

Ichigo's face brightened. He did have a few hours to spare for once. "Sure…I guess someone's gotta tell the those kids that what you've been showing them is in no w ay shape or form a drawing." Her grip on his elbow tightened as they walked closer to the building. "And we certainly don't want a generation of kids who don't know how to open a juice box." Ichigo grinned.

He knew he was safe from pinches, punches, and kicks in front of her students, but faltered when he saw her smile sadistically as they entered the colorful classroom.

"Hey everyone, I brought a guest to play with us today." Rukia offered Ichigo to the class like he was a pan of fudge. "We're going to play rodeo, and this is our _pony, _Strawberry!"

"No way..." Ichigo tried to object, but his words were ignored as a mob of pint-sized bodies jumped on him and attached themselves to his long and lanky limbs.

"Oi!" He yelled out while trying not to fall over and crush the class of children. "That's not how you ride a horse!" He shook the children off of him and smirked at Rukia. Two could play the game she had started. He swiftly pulled her up onto his back piggyback style, and forced her to hang onto him so she wouldn't fall off.

"Ichigo!" Rukia cried out startled, and to Ichigo's surprise, actually restrained from attacking him like she usually did.

He craned his neck to look up at her. "You said you wanted to play rodeo. What kind of teacher doesn't show the kids how to do it first?"

Rukia scowled back down at him, then smirked. "Fine. Well rule one of rodeo, is that the pony doesn't talk!" With that, she crammed the closest object, which of all things, was a juice box, into Ichigo's mouth.

Ichigo was forced to let the kids take turns riding on his shoulders while he bounced around the room like the happy pony he was supposed to be. He made a silent oath to destroy Rukia later, but for awhile he actually had fun. It reminded him of playing with his sisters when his mom was still alive. He didn't mind playing make believe and looking like a dork. As long as no one from school or Soul Society saw him…

Time flew by and soon enough the kids' parents were arriving to take them home for the day. Each one waved goodbye to Ichigo and Rukia before leaving.

"Bye Rukia! Bye Strawberry!"

Ichigo found himself even more exhausted than he was when he first dropped by to visit, but also in a much better mood. He could understand why Rukia enjoyed working there. It was something even he could get used to.

As soon as the kids were gone, Ichigo and Rukia started on their own trip home.

"I don't think I've ever witnessed you showing that much patience Ichigo." Rukia commented. "I can't help but think of all those times you rushed into something or got yourself hurt because you weren't patient enough. To think that you had it in you all this time."

Ichigo just shrugged. "Well kids are different. I can tolerate them. I do have two little sisters."

"I guess I just didn't know you had a soft spot Kurosaki." Rukia teased.

"I could say the same for you." Ichigo shot back. "It's only been a week and that whole class already idolizes you. You didn't even have to use that freaking voice I hate." Ichigo was surprised that Rukia spoke in her normal tone, if not a bit more gently with the children. That was probably one of the reasons why they liked her. She didn't talk down to them. And probably her shared obsession with Chappy…

"I really do like it there." Rukia smiled to herself and looked down. "I…I think I want to keep doing it. You know, as a career. Teaching is a good career isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's really honorable…and you're actually good at it…" Ichigo said slowly, looking down as well. "Is that the kind of college you applied for?"

"I haven't picked a specific place. I just managed to prepare for whatever school you decide to pick."

Caught off guard, Ichigo looked back up at Rukia. "So…you're waiting for me to make a decision?"

She squinted her eyes at him. "Sure…I suppose you could put it that way."

Ichigo let himself smirk. "Hmm…So Kuchiki Rukia is not only asking me my opinion, but making the whole choice for her? Wow, I think I might get high on this kind of power."

"I wasn't asking you anything!" Rukia smoothly whapped his stomach with the back of her hand. "I just have no preference, and I don't want to hear you complain about keeping an eye on me. It's just easier to let you have your way sometimes."

Ichigo took a few deep breaths to recover, then said, "Now you know how I feel all the time."

"Oh shut up. Stop saying stupid things." Rukia crossed her arms and looked straight ahead.

"You can't say that kind of stuff to your students. It's not very encouraging." Ichigo goaded.

"Oh, would you like to join my kindergarten class? I know the naps and cookies appeal to you, but I think you'd look quite scandalous in such a small uniform." Rukia mocked.

"Hey don't make fun of me." Ichigo scowled out of habit and not out of seriousness. "I just entertained all your students and made a complete ass of myself. I think I deserve some thanks or some kind of payment."

"Oh do you?" Rukia said. Ichigo thought he heard a suggestive tone, but dismissed it.

"Yeah I do." He grumped.

"Were you expecting a carrot? Or maybe a little sugar?" Rukia asked. This time Ichigo was sure she was actually flirting with him.

He rose his eyebrows high in surprise and a bit of anticipation, but was quickly let down when Rukia just laughed at him.

"How about dinner?" She asked through her smile.

"Like…out to dinner?" Ichigo asked slowly, still preoccupied with the fact that Kuchiki Rukia had been flirting.

"No you fool. I can make you dinner. And before you even think about insulting me with words or a disgusted expression on your face, let me tell you that Yuzu's been giving me cooking lessons." Rukia said quickly.

Ichigo was surprised again. With her absolutely accurate analysis of his actions and the fact that she'd been learning to cook. "Really? When did Yuzu start doing that?"

Rukia frowned at him. "You've been gone so much recently, you haven't been around long enough to notice."

"I told you." Ichigo replied somewhat shortly. "I've been really busy working on school stuff, party stuff, your house…"

"Well Renji's been working almost non-stop, but I've seen him plenty." Rukia said lightly.

Ichigo just sneered and then twitched with frustration. "I'm glad you both go out of your way to spend quality time with each other."

Rukia rolled her eyes. "He's my best friend Ichigo. What do you expect?"

"Well if he's your best friend what am I?" Ichigo asked quickly, but immediately regretted it. Asking for a definition was asking for trouble.

But Rukia sidestepped the question and saved them both a lot of strife. "You sound like one of the girls at school Ichigo. All about gossip and cliques."

She sounded like she was about to continue to insult him which would result in their usual banter, but an out of breath, and slightly…scorched Renji came thumping towards them.

"Renji? What are you doing here?" Rukia asked.

Ichigo crossed his arms in annoyance and curiosity at the redhead's arrival.

"Um…Rukia…" Renji bent over trying to breathe and obviously trying to avoid Rukia's eyes. "There…was a minor set back with your house…" In Renji speak, minor set back could mean the place had imploded.

"There was a kind of implosion." Renji braced himself.

"What?!" Rukia shouted at the tall man who was cowering before her.

"I hate to say that I was kinda expecting that." Ichigo scowled with a slightly amused expression.

"Renji, what are you talking about? What happened?!" Rukia asked looking really upset. She didn't look just angry, but grief stricken as well.

Renji groaned in agony. "Well everything was going fine with the building until Yumichika said it wasn't beautiful enough…and…it kinda started from there…"

_Flashback_

"_Fucking shit Yumichika!" Renji yelled at the pretty boy who was getting on his very last nerve. "It doesn't matter if the beam is ugly, that's where it fucking goes! It's a fucking support beam!"_

_Yumichika had the nerve to tsk Renji and wave his finger back and forth. "Renji, trust me, I know everything about being beautiful. And this house…is not."_

"_Of course it's not." Ikkaku grumbled leaning on a completed wall. "It's out in the middle of no where with fucking trees and squirrels running around. What kind of modern place is this anyway?"_

"_It's a modern house in the woods Ikkaku!" Renji stated, still pissed off. "It's Rukia's house, and she likes those rodent bastards running around. Stop killing them for snacks!"_

_Ikkaku argued back. "What's the point of having a house in the real world when you're too far away from all that easy access food and shit? I've gotta start hunting if I don't wanna take an hour to get back to civilization and hit one of those…convenience shopping store things."_

"_Well then just don't touch the rabbits." Renji crossed his arms and glowered. "Rukia really likes those. We're almost done fixing it anyway, so just be patient." He couldn't believe __**he**__ was lecturing someone on patience._

"_Yes," Yumichika exclaimed. "Patience is a virtue, so if we're fixing it up, we should take the time to make sure we do it beautifully!"_

"_It's gonna look fine," Renji gritted through his teeth._

"_Beautiful." Yumichika corrected._

"_Beautiful…" Renji swallowed the urge to murder one of his best friends. "It's going to look beautiful, but first we have to make sure it's sound enough to stand on it's own. Now quit being a fucking bitch about whether or not it's pretty right now! Leave it to the women to do when we're finished!"_

"_Then why am I here __**now**__?" Matsumoto whined lazily. She was draped over a tool bench that she was supposed to be using to help out._

"_You're here to work damn it! Get your lazy ass up!" Renji couldn't understand how a short fuse like Hitsugaya hadn't combusted already, from having Matsumoto as his lieutenant. It only confirmed his belief that they were banging each other behind closed doors. "You drink the most, so you're going to have to work the most for it!" Renji reasoned angrily to the blonde who hadn't even twitched at his thundering yells._

"_I will work the most, but I don't know why I'm here with the building part of it." She perked up and sat on the bench. "I could paint it!" she thought it over, "Well…I could pick out the colors to use as paint."_

"_Rukia's doing that because it's her house. And you can't fucking paint anything if you haven't built it yet!" Renji started yelling again. _

_He really wanted to impress Rukia with the house and his leadership skills. But in hindsight, it probably would have better for him to ask the unseated, no name, shinigami to help if he wanted to do that. They never hesitated to follow his orders, unlike his cocky and independent friends. But Renji also considered that if Rukia were going to have a party after the house was built, she wouldn't want to be around people she didn't know. For some reason he couldn't fathom at the moment, Matsumoto, Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Shuuhei were their friends. _

_Wait._

"_Where the hell is Shuuhei?"_

"_Oi! Renji!" Shuuhei sauntered through the completed front door carrying a few large brown bags._

"_I thought we could start the party a little early!" he smiled and pulled out two large bottles of hard liquor. _

"_Alright! A tea break!" Ikkaku jumped up, looking a lot more animated now, and in a flashstep, Matsumoto and Yumichika joined him._

"_No, no, no, NO!" Renji grabbed the bottles and the cups that Matsumoto happened to always carry on her person…he didn't want to know where… and threw them towards the middle of the living room._

"_Renji!" Shuuhei cried out before letting his face slide into a pout. "Some very nice ladies were generous enough to buy those for me!"_

_Renji stared at his former senpai. "You mean you man-whored your way into their wallet."_

"_Abarai!" Shuuhei took an official tone with him. "We're doing you a big favor here. Sure we get a party, but you're the one who Rukia's going to give all the credit to. This is my time off too damn it, I'm gonna enjoy it."_

"_Sorry…" Renji muttered. The tattooed man still managed to strike a lot of fear in him. "But we can't start drinking until this place is done. I just want to do a good job for Rukia."_

"_Then she'll give you a private party right Abarai?" Ikkaku leered at him and Shuuhei winked._

"_It's not like that!" Renji tried not to blush. "Rukia's my oldest friend. And she's not an ass like you four. She deserves something for her hard work."_

"_Isn't she kinda hung up on that Kurosaki though?" Shuuhei scratched his face in thought._

"_We're all friends. We're all helping Rukia." Renji crossed his arms and then muttered. "I just want Rukia to know that I'm working the hardest."_

_Building Rukia's house was like a mark Renji would be able to leave in the living world when he couldn't see Rukia. He felt that it was his own way of giving her the security he'd always wanted to provide her with. That was something Ichigo wouldn't be able to take away…_

"_Alright, alright." Shuuhei kicked Ikkaku who had started to take a nap on the floor. "Let's work hard to make sure Abarai gets laid."_

"_Shuuhei!" Renji forgot trying to hide his blush and concentrated on not knocking out his friend._

"_Don't get all prudish like Kurosaki, Abarai." Ikkaku chided. "You gotta act like a man if you want Rukia to give it up."_

"_Would you stop talking shit like that!" Renji thundered._

_Yumichika shrugged lightly and said, "He probably still wants to surpass Kuchiki-taicho before he mounts Rukia."_

_Renji balked. "Don't fucking say mount! It's not very beautiful!" _

"_Renji! You're learning!" Then Yumichika jumped up as an idea hit him." I know what would make this place absolutely glow…" he walked out of the living room to go off who knows where. Renji was just happy the peacock was out of his hair for awhile._

"_Renji?" Matsumoto asked seriously. "Are you really going to tell Rukia how you feel? Because you know you're up for a promotion to captain as soon as everything is settled. Are you going to wait until then?"_

_Renji glanced down at the floor. She was being sincere, and he knew he had no place denying his feelings for Rukia. At least he was better than Kurosaki in that respect. _

"_I waited to tell her the last time I was promoted and look how everything ended up…" When he became a lieutenant, Rukia had gone off to the living world and met Ichigo. That might have been his only chance. "I'm not making the same mistake again. Not where Rukia is concerned." He looked around him and the stares he was receiving. "Oh shut up. I'm just giving her options to consider."_

"_Candles!" Yumichika cried out carrying a set of lit tea lights. _

"_Damn it Yumichika!" Renji yelled and took the set away from him. "Don't fuck things up with frilly shit yet!" And then threw the candles in the same direction he'd thrown what Shuuhei had brought._

"_Uh…Renji…" Ikkaku pointed to the alcohol spilling dangerously close to the flames…_

"_Oh shit."_

Renji looked generally ashamed so Ichigo had to bite his tongue really hard to not make fun of him. Rukia seemed to be doing the same thing.

"I'm so sorry Rukia!" Renji said in anguish. "I didn't mean to let you down or nothing…"

Rukia cooed uncharacteristically at the shinigami lieutenant who was still bent over in shame. "It's not your fault Renji."

Ichigo huffed a little. Whenever he screwed up, all he got was a kick in the face, not a pat on the back.

"Yes it is." Renji didn't seem comforted by her gesture. "You put me in charge to supervise, so that makes me responsible. Plus…I did kinda cause the explosion."

"You just need a break Renji. Having to bark orders at those four is enough to make anyone lose their common sense." She brightened slightly. "Besides…I've always wanted a skylight."

"That's what Yumichika said." Renji grumbled.

Ichigo felt sorry for the poor bastard who was kicking himself pretty hard. He scratched the back of his neck and tried to be helpful. "Well…having a skylight would save some time for the shinigami when they 'pop in' to visit Rukia." He still remembered the group who popped into his bedroom through the ceiling. They never did fix that hole either.

"You can just have an extra week to finish up the house Renji." Rukia added. "Inoue said the party planning was going a little slow anyway. Something about Keigo getting distracted…Next weekend would be a much better time to celebrate."

Rukia smiled at Renji who just nodded slowly. "I'll work twice as hard Rukia. I promise." he said solemnly. "I won't fuck up again."

"Great!" Rukia suddenly slapped both boys on the back hard. Ichigo and Renji arched painfully in unison. "Now why don't I treat you to some dinner Renji. As a thanks for all the work you've done so far."

Renji finally perked out of his pout. "You mean like a date?"

"Hey!" Ichigo protested loudly. Not knowing which of the two people he was objecting to. Probably both.

Rukia ignored them and threw her head back into the sky exhaling loudly. "What is it with you guys always thinking with your damn _zanpukutos_?" She alluded. "Can't a woman just be nice without offering herself up as a prize to be won?"

She stomped angrily down the street and Ichigo and Renji chased after her.

"I'm just offering some damn food. Take it or leave it." She huffed without looking back behind her.

"I thought you were going to make me dinner?" Ichigo complained. Renji had snuck his way into the first quality time Ichigo would have had with Rukia in ages.

"I thought you wanted to vomit at the thought of me making you dinner?" Rukia stated calmly.

"Quit exaggerating, I never said anything like that…" Ichigo matched her pace and crossed his arms bitterly. It seemed all the brownie points he'd earned earlier went out the window when Renji arrived with his sob story.

"I am pretty hungry." Renji murmured. "Ordering those idiots around is hard work."

Rukia just smirked. And Ichigo caught on. "Oh don't even say anything Rukia! Aren't you using dinner as a thank you to us?"

"That's why I didn't say anything moron!" Rukia snapped back.

"What are you two talking about?" Renji asked, completely missing what he had started.

"Pfft." Ichigo shoved his hands in his pockets and gave up arguing. "Just make sure you fuck ups finish before next weekend." With the deadline extended another week, he could save up more money. But he wasn't going to thank Renji for his mistakes, even if they worked to his advantage.

"Oh it'll be done." Renji said in almost a grave tone. "I don't think I can handle playing real world babysitter to Ikkaku, Shuuhei, Yumichika, and Matsumoto much longer." He shook his head with a tremble. "You know if I hadn't of stopped them they would have put a stripper pole in Rukia's bedroom."

Ichigo and Rukia jerked in horror.

"I'm beginning to wonder if I have the words 'objectify me' stamped to my forehead." Rukia muttered before wrapping her arms around her chest protectively.

"Just don't mention that to my dad…" Ichigo said fearfully.

"Actually…"Renji scratched his head. "Your father and Urahara stopped by saying they were going to contribute their own…additions to Rukia's place…"

Ichigo looked at Rukia who nodded back in silent agreement before they sprinted off towards Ichigo's house.

If Rukia's employers found out her house could also function as a brothel, it would probably put a damper on her teaching career. Dinner would have to wait until they successfully bashed his father's head in.

Having medical knowledge was handy in a few ways he supposed...

* * *

_AN: I totally blame my photography teacher for this not coming out when I wanted it to. I've been so out of touch lately due to projects, developing, printing, writing, reading, working. Sorry. But some good plot stuff is coming up soon. Stuff I've been waiting to write! _

_Thank you so much to everyone who's been reading so far! It really means a lot to me to know people are enjoying the story! Hooray! Happy feelings in my tummy! And breaded mushrooms because it's lunch time. But thank you guys! And of course, I love your reviews. Tell me what you think, I hope I haven't been slipping, but I get the feeling that I have. Thanks again!_


	11. Moving

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or anything by Shakespeare. Hell, I barely know what he's talking about unless I really think about it. And I just don't have the time to think right now. Too bothersome_...

* * *

Chapter 11-Moving

* * *

Rukia waved goodbye to the last kindergartner leaving for the day…or rather, she pried herself from the young boys grip. "It's time to leave Teo!" She pulled firmly at the boy who had somehow reattached himself. He must have been part leech. "Your mom is waiting for you!" She pleaded. 

Teo looked up at Rukia with large bright eyes. "You should come home with us! My mom makes the best peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the world! And she always lets us have dessert afterwards!" He tried to persuade.

"Oi!" Ichigo approached and towered over the struggling pair. He grabbed the kid's head with one large hand and bent over so he could look at him face to face. "Sorry small fry, but your teacher's got plans."

Teo glared at Ichigo before turning his gaze back innocently to Rukia. "You're not dating this loser are you?" he asked with disbelief.

Ichigo dropped his jaw defensively. "Who're you calling a loser?"

Teo boldly met Ichigo's glare. "You started it! You called me a small fry!"

"Well you are a small fry." Ichigo argued.

"And you're a loser." Teo countered.

"No name calling!" Rukia finally shouted. Then she pointed a finger at Ichigo. "Either of you!"

Teo huffed and actually swaggered over to his mom's station wagon. He looked back over his shoulder to Rukia. "You call me when this guy bores you to death or blinds you with that hair of his. Whichever comes first."

Rukia didn't know whether to laugh at his bravo or reprimand him for coming on to his teacher.

Ichigo went a different route. "Oi! You little pint-sized pimp! Get back here!" Rukia grabbed Ichigo by the shoulder and shoved him to the ground before she had another fight on her hands.

She would have to add to her human liaison notes that twelve years wasn't enough time for maturity to develop in the male of the species.

"Kids these days." Ichigo grumbled from the ground. He got up and dusted himself off when Rukia started leaving without him. "Guy acts like you're his…never mind."

"Are you making these visits of yours a weekly thing Ichigo?" Rukia asked once he stopped whining. She hadn't seen him since they fought with his degenerate father over dinner a week ago.

Ichigo rubbed his neck and looked away. "Um…it's not exactly a weekly thing…"

"You've been checking up on me everyday haven't you?" Rukia asked as she grasped the truth. A few of her students said that 'Strawberry' the pony had been stopping by during the week, but she hadn't seen Ichigo around at all. Whatever he was doing that kept him so busy had been working in overtime. She was surprised to say the least that he still visited her at work.

"I told you I found a shortcut." Ichigo said shortly.

Rukia rolled her eyes but continued walking. Whenever Ichigo kept a secret from her, there was usually a reason. She didn't sense anything serious was going on so she let him hide whatever he wanted to. He'd tell her in his own time.

"You're house is done you know." Ichigo spoke again.

Rukia raised her eyebrows and looked at her companion. "I wasn't expecting Renji to get done so early." She wondered aloud. "I thought he'd need another week."

Ichigo snorted. "Seems that after blowing up the place the first time, he really got his ass in gear. Every time I stopped by Matsumoto grabbed me and complained about him being a worse slave driver than her captain."

"Oh?" Rukia muttered, and stopped picturing Matsumoto grabbing onto Ichigo. The woman was so hands on when she wanted to be…

"You know I've been thinking about being a teacher." Ichigo said out of nowhere.

Rukia let the surprise show on her face. "You want to be a teacher?"

He shrugged but continued. "Yeah, I think so. I've been watching you and it seems like a great gig. You spend your time playing, you get afternoons and summers off, you've got all the answers and help people with their problems." He smirked down at her before he added, "Not to mention, you're actually taller than your students. But I guess I won't have a problem with that."

Rukia promptly body checked Ichigo off the sidewalk. His cry of surprise and the loud thump he made when he landed put a smile on her face.

"I guess it leaves you with a lot of pent up aggression though doesn't it?" Ichigo grounded out when he caught up with the stride she hadn't broke.

"It's better than getting into verbal arguments with someone whose age isn't even in the double digits yet." Rukia commented.

"Whatever." Ichigo said lamely.

"But I always thought you wanted to be a doctor." Rukia said remembering what Ichigo had revealed before she pushed him.

His eyebrows drew closer together forming a deep band of wrinkles. A face Ichigo hadn't been making a lot lately. "I don't think that kind of career is for me." He said almost quietly.

Rukia decided the best tactic would be teasing him if she wanted those frown lines to go away. "I thought you said you were going to be a rich doctor and I wouldn't even need to get a job in the future."

Ichigo blushed before he smirked. "Well I figured you'd spend so much time bitching about not carrying your own weight. I should just let you get a job and save myself the trouble."

"Are you asking for a some broken bones Kurosaki?" Rukia asked.

"Geez, you sound like Ishida." He said through the side of his mouth.

"You would make a good teacher Ichigo." Rukia said in abruptly.

He glanced at her surprised at the sincerity in her voice. "You think so?"

"I don't know who or what you would teach, but you really enjoy helping people in your own annoying way. And I suppose you've done a good job helping me understand the human world."

Ichigo smirked and rose his shoulders in an accepting shrug. "I guess you're not a walking catastrophe. I can take some pride in that."

Rukia grabbed his arm and twisted the skin in opposite directions with her hands. Her students had taught her the best underhanded attacks.

"OW! Damn it! Okay, okay! Let go!"

She let go and Ichigo rubbed his arm frowning.

"What would you want to teach?" Rukia asked curiously and bringing them back to the subject. "I don't think they have a 'bankai for dummies' class in the living world. Although I suppose you could try to implement one Soul Society, but they don't pay as well."

"Yeah right." Ichigo snorted. "I uh…I think I'd like to teach people about literature, Shakespeare and stuff." Ichigo shirked away, apparently embarrassed, but Rukia smiled at him. He continued. "I spend so much time fighting hollows and shit, I'd like to try helping people in a different way too." He paused and glanced at Rukia. "Do I sound like an idiot?" he asked, obviously waiting for her to mock him.

But Rukia just smiled then softly, but clearly recited,

"When to the sessions of sweet silent thought

I summon up remembrance of things past,  
I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought,  
And with old woes new wail my dear time's waste:  
Then can I drown an eye, unused to flow,  
For precious friends hid in death's dateless night,"

Rukia glanced to see if Ichigo was listening, and saw him seemingly entranced by her. She smiled slightly and continued.

"And weep afresh love's long since cancell'd woe,  
And moan the expense of many a vanish'd sight:  
Then can I grieve at grievances foregone,  
And heavily from woe to woe tell o'er  
The sad account of fore-bemoaned moan,  
Which I new pay as if not paid before."

Rukia paused to meet Ichigo's gaze intently.

"But if the while I think on thee, dear friend,  
All losses are restored and sorrows end."

Ichigo stood fixed in his spot, with a priceless expression. Rukia collected herself and then merely shrugged. "I remembered seeing the name on a few books in your room, so I looked him up in the library. Quite an interesting collection of work."

She turned away and continued walking. "I can understand why you'd like the guy." She said simply.

Rukia would never admit that she remembered that specific sonnet and committed it to memory for the sole purpose of shocking Ichigo with it. It worked perfectly.

Her smug demeanor was suddenly broken when Ichigo came up behind her and wrapped one hand around her waist to held her onto her stomach, pulling her against his body. He leaned over her left shoulder and still staring straight ahead let his face slide next to hers.

"You amaze me Rukia." He whispered gravely before promptly letting her go and walking quickly ahead of her as if he'd never stopped in the first place.

Rukia stumbled at the removal of his hand and the affect his closeness had on her. She wanted to hit him if he was teasing her, but sensed he was completely serious.

"Come on. You've got to tour your new house." Ichigo called back.

Rukia blinked a few times before recovering enough to move from her stationary position. When she caught up with Ichigo he was scowling at the air in front of him. She was about to question what he just did…and why he wasn't still doing it, but then noticed how tightly his fists were clenched.

Rukia let a small smile form as she realized what he was doing. Ichigo was holding back. He was trying to stop himself from acting like the fool he'd been weeks ago.

Rukia had gotten him all riled up. She practically skipped ahead of him with pride and satisfaction at that realization. They made it to her house in record time in their comfortable silence.

They walked up the familiar dirt driveway, but Rukia noticed that the trees and shrubbery were neatly manicured. It looked more like a garden trail than an overgrown path. She was even more delighted when she reached her house.

"Welcome home Kuchiki-san!" Urahara exclaimed. He was standing with Ichigo's father and Yoruichi, both smiling broadly. Although Isshin was tearing up at the thought of his first bird leaving the nest…

Renji and the other shinigami who helped build her house were standing off to the side along with Ichigo's sisters.

Rukia hadn't been expecting so many people, but remembered there would be more when she had her party in the next few days.

"Geez Rukia." Renji groaned loudly. "At least look at the freaking work we did!" Rukia looked past her friends and suddenly noticed the bright and beautiful house in front of her.

It couldn't have been the same one as before.

It was still two stories tall, but it seemed larger now that the roof wasn't caving in. There was even a balcony leading off of the second story window. Her friends had taken the liberty to paint the outside a crisp white with dark trim to match the roof. It looked like a picturesque cottage.

Rukia started walking around her home and saw that stairs leading up to the front door were no longer jagged, but smooth and even. She walked around the porch they led up to and followed it as it wrapped around her house.

Rukia stifled a gasp when she saw the back of her home now featured a small pond and an area perfect for a garden.

She didn't stifle a gasp and a shrill scream when she saw a family of rabbits hopping around the edges of the woods surrounding her house.

Rukia could admit she wasn't the most affectionate of women she knew, but if any occasion called for a hug, this was it. She ran at full speed into Renji's arms and squeezed him as hard as she could.

"Thank you so much Renji! It's more than I imagined." She told him gratefully. She knew Renji worked hard to impress her, and even though Ichigo was probably popping a blood vessel, Renji deserved his fair thanks.

Renji squeezed her back and put his face into her hair. "It's no problem Rukia. You know I'd do anything for you." He said quietly.

Rukia felt suddenly awkward, realizing Renji had put more weight into his words, and she let herself fall from his embrace. Trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling in her belly, she thanked the rest of the shinigami Renji stood next to.

"It's absolutely beautiful." She started.

"Of course it is." Yumichika interrupted as if it were plain as day.

"I'm grateful for the hard work you did." Rukia bowed to her friends in front of her.

"What?" Shuuhei smirked. "We don't get hugs?"

Rukia rolled her eyes. "Only if you promise not to grab my ass."

Shuuhei winked. "Guess I'll just wait till the party then."

"Yeah, when is that?" Ikkaku rubbed his hands together at the prospect of drinking to his hearts content.

"How about _after_ we tour the house." Ichigo said tersely and lead Rukia away by the shoulder. He left his hand there while Urahara and Yoruichi lead the tour group that consisted of all parties present in the front yard.

"Here we have your standard, but lovely cottage in the woods." Urahara began panning his fan around the premises while everyone stood on the front porch expectedly. "It's complete with two bedrooms, two full baths, a kitchen, laundry room, breakfast nook, a _very_ well lit living room," He winked at Renji who slumped in response. "And of course your average, ordinary, standard living world basement."

Rukia and Ichigo shared a look at Urahara's generous description. Rukia only hoped that there wasn't a stripper pole to surprise her in any of her rooms. They did only specify her bedroom when they'd confronted Isshin…

Isshin and Urahara being friends was a dangerous combination. Ichigo almost fainted when he found out they knew each other and were so buddy buddy.

"Just open the door Kisuke." Yoruichi gently backhanded the shop owner next to her.

"Without further ado…" Urahara bowed before opening the door and allowing the group inside.

Rukia beamed. The walls inside were painted white as well, and ready for Rukia to add any other coat of color if she chose. The living room floor was carpeted with a deep blue, almost black color that she knew she would be keeping as it was. Tall and broad arches divided the first floor into segments. One leading to kitchen with the attached breakfast nook that also revealed a door to the back porch. The other arch going to the rest of the house where her second bedroom was located on the ground floor and one of the bathrooms next to it.

Rukia walked around the downstairs. She was surprised to see that her house was almost fully furnished. Her kitchen was updated with functioning appliances, there was a couch and a chair in the living room and her breakfast nook even had a small dining set.

"Who paid for all of these things?" Rukia asked openly, no knowing who to direct her question to. "I can't accept all this."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Well it's already here and it was a bitch to move, so quit your yapp-Oi!"

Isshin whapped Ichigo in the face with his hands clasped together, "What my delinquent son here means, is that you're a part of our family Rukia! What's ours is yours and it was really no trouble."

Rukia just smiled politely and made a mental note to appraise the value of the objects and pay the Kurosaki family back later. Arguing now would just damage her brand new house.

"I haven't even showed you the best things yet Kuchiki-san!" Urahara placed a remote in her hands. It was graced with the same flaming skull logo as her soul glove.

"What is this?" she asked appraisingly.

"Just push that large button in the middle, and you'll find out." He grinned.

Rukia hesitated, afraid something would pop out and try to kill her, but decided to trust the eccentric man because her gigai was working out better than she expected. She pushed the button and in the living room, a large flat screen came down from the ceiling.

"Holy shit!" Ichigo dropped his jaw and pointed at the television. "A built in 40-inch flat screen?!" he screamed.

Isshin and the rest of the guys just whistled.

"I _really_ can't accept this." Rukia started to say until Urahara leaned over and pressed the channel change button.

Suddenly a 40-inch Chappy was gracing her living room wall.

"Chappy!" Rukia squealed.

"I set the channels to your favorites Rukia!" Yuzu said proudly. Her twin just rolled her eyes.

Ichigo gawked behind her before he swiped the remote.

"Geez, forget manners, you've got free cable." He said as he started channel surfing.

"Fool!" Rukia fought back for the remote and the return of her Chappy. "This is my house! You can't act like you own the place!"

"How come when you get free stuff from Urahara it's all of a sudden yours without any guilt huh?" Ichigo argued back and tried holding the remote high above his head. Rukia knew this move well and had already jumped onto his back to retrieve it.

"Um…" Urahara intervened cautiously "I'm not quite done explaining everything."

Rukia and Ichigo stopped fighting to pay attention. But Rukia was still stationed on Ichigo's back and both of them were holding onto the remote.

"The television also serves as a functioning video communicator with Soul Society." Urahara continued. "This is a modified, more aesthetic and user friendly version of the one that used to grace Orihime-san's home. It can be used to relay your human liaison conferences with other shinigami. There's also a screen in the downstairs bedroom."

"I thought you might want to use that as an office." Yoruichi added.

Rukia jumped off Ichigo's back and nodded in agreement. She did have business to attend to with the communicator. Although she could get used to having such a large version of Chappy to watch everyday…

"I have another business related surprise for you downstairs Kuchiki-san." Urahara fanned himself.

"What downstairs?" Rukia asked confused.

Urahara lowered his fan and revealed a bright grin. "Just punch in the number 15 followed by the red eject button."

Rukia followed his directions again, and this time nothing popped out from the ceiling. Instead, the floor next to the stairs opened up unveiling another set of stairs heading down.

"Is that my own underground basement?" Rukia asked astonished and already descending the stairs.

"I just thought you and Ichigo would need a place to romp around in…" Urahara said.

Rukia rolled her eyes, but Ichigo actually pushed the man down the stairs the rest of the way.

"OW!" Urahara tumbled quit a distance. From the bottom landing he called out. "So rough Kurosaki-san…" Urahara rubbed his head and stood. "How does Kuchi-"

"Don't even start Urahara!" Ichigo yelled from the stairs. "So this the surprise you were talking about, right Sandal Hat?"

"You'll find I have many surprises…" Urahara said in his cryptic fashion.

The group made their way to the bottom the stairs and Rukia saw her expansive training area. Except it wasn't a sparse, rocky, landscape like Urahara had. He had apparently customized it especially for Rukia.

It looked like a winter wonderland. There was a glistening frozen lake surrounded by bare trees and a few that blossomed only in the winter. Their reflection shone in the ice below them. In the distance, though the size of the area was deceiving, Rukia saw snow capped mountain peaks and plenty of land to tumble around on. Rukia gasped, but was surprised she couldn't see her breath. The room looked like the bitter season, but there was no chill in the air.

"Fucking awesome!" Ikkaku cried out before randomly laying a kick into Renji's back.

"What the fuck Ikkaku?!" Renji dived on the bald 3rd seat, unknowingly giving the man what he was asking for.

"What your language pineapple!" Karin scolded after covering Yuzu's ears with her hands.

"Very beautiful." Yumichika commented.

"This is amazing Urahara." Rukia said feeling humbled by how much her friends had gone out of the way for her.

"Don't even thank him Rukia." Yoruichi patted her back. "He was just aching to build another one of these."

Urahara actually giggled. "I guess I do find more pleasure in creating places like these than even the 11th squad has in fighting in them."

Shuuhei and Karin were trying to break up the fight Ikkaku had started and Yumichika had joined in on.

Matsumoto shivered. "I know it's not cold, but it looks like it should be." She grinned a little too broadly for Rukia's liking. "Let's continue the tour upstairs shall we?"

Urahara mirrored her perverted expression. "What a good idea Rangiku-san! The upstairs does have the biggest treat for our sweet Kuchiki-san here."

"What the hell did you do?" Ichigo glared, already suspicious. He glanced to his sisters, obviously afraid of their innocence being tarnished.

"Don't worry my boy!" Isshin raced up the stairs in front of the group. "I personally made sure Rukia would love her new room."

Rukia sighed and climbed the stairs to her master bedroom first, dragging Ichigo behind her. She didn't want him pushing any more people down the steps…they could break her new railings if they tumbled too hard…

She gaped when she actually got to her room. She was expecting something perverted like the stripper pole she argued against, but instead found something that left her speechless.

"Why the hell is the bed so big?" Ichigo asked crossly.

Sure enough, a large canopy style king sized bed sat in the center of the room, but Rukia hadn't even been aware of the bed because on top of the comforter was a Chappy plush as big as she was.

"KAAIII!" Rukia squealed incoherently and jumped onto her bed. She bounced up and down with the soft life-sized plush squeezed in her arms.

Her bouncing and juvenile giggling slowed to a stop when she saw everyone staring at her.

"Don't judge me." She huffed and dropped from her bed still clutching the Chappy.

"I think the glue fumes from that kiddie school are getting to you…" Renji mumbled before Rukia slapped him to the ground.

"Again, I ask, why is the bed so damn big?" Ichigo shoved his father who nudged and winked at him in response.

Rukia got the hint. Isshin's motives were perverted, but aesthetic-wise, if the bed were any smaller, it would have appeared dwarfed in the area. Rukia's bedroom was huge. The second floor of the house only consisted of her master bed and bath, so both were spacious.

Her bedroom contained the large bed, a small dresser, a box of her few possessions, mostly manga, a simple stand up mirror, a closet with two doors that opened out, and off to the side of her room was a ledge with steps.

Rukia walked over towards the small steps and saw that they lead up to double doors that opened up her private balcony.

"The view is amazing." She gasped looking out over her small pond and the edge of the tree line.

Yuzu and Yumichika came up beside her with smiles.

"I made sure the window was placed so that the sunshine could cast a beautiful glow on everything inside." Yumichika boasted.

"And I planted those sakura saplings by the pond, so when they bloom you'll have blossoms to look at everyday." Yuzu said kindly.

"Thank you so much." Rukia put a hand on Ichigo's sweeter sister. "I won't ever want to leave the balcony."

But then she was forced to when Matsumoto grabbed Rukia by the shoulders and dragged back inside.

"Don't stare off into space silly! You haven't even opened up your closet yet!" Matsumoto grinned and placed Rukia in front of the double closet doors.

"Are you ready?" she asked enthusiastically.

Rukia only nodded with small skeptical frown on her face.

"Alright!" Matsumoto cried out. "Ta da!" She announced as she swung the doors open dramatically.

Ichigo came up beside Rukia and leaned forward lamely, "…it's empty." He said.

"Well of course it's empty! What were you expecting? A bed or something?" Matsumoto shoved the agitated teenager away and put an arm around Rukia excitedly. "It's empty so we get to spend the whole rest of the day shopping!"

"Count me out of that one…" Karin crossed her arms and leaned against a wall. "You should check out the bathroom Rukia." She continued. "It's actually pretty nice. It'll be a great place to relax when these idiots drive you up the wall." She thumbed towards Renji and Ichigo.

"Hey, I built the wall," Renji complained. "I'm allowed to drive her up it."

"That doesn't even make sense." Ichigo glowered.

"You don't make sense…" Renji squabbled. Then he looked up at Rukia. "The plumping and everything works great too."

"It was hard work." Shuuhei added, who was now sprawled on Rukia's bedspread comfortably.

"Get off of there you bum!" Ichigo kicked at the man lying lazily.

"Jealous Kurosaki?" Ikkaku snickered.

"Don't like the sight of another man in Rukia's bed?" Shuuhei teased between the kicks he was receiving.

Ichigo dove on top of Shuuhei to drive a fist into his stomach and Yumichika tried to pull them apart.

"Stop fighting! I just made that bed!" he pulled at Ichigo's legs.

Yoruichi rolled her eyes and looked to Urahara and Isshin, "I thought we agreed on a big bed so _everyone_ could fit on it and we wouldn't have to worry about any jealous bickering."

"WHAT THE HELL?!" all the men yelled and scrambled away from each other. Except for Yumichika who appeared unruffled and only set to smooth out the linens.

Rukia closed her eyes and took Karin's good advice to venture into her bathroom. It was very relaxing. She saw a few of the tea lights Renji had mentioned had made their way safely onto the counter. The bathroom was big enough for a standing shower and an almost Jacuzzi like tub in the corner.

Rukia reveled in the fact that she didn't have to share the space and could take as long as she wanted, just like Orihime had said she could.

She'd still have to buy bath salts and other things.

Rukia frowned. There was a lot she would need to buy. Everyone had helped her out considerably, but there was still a lot she needed to collect to make her house feel like a home. Especially with such a spacious bedroom. Rukia was small and didn't take up a lot of space. She'd need a lot of things to make her room feel less empty.

She walked back in the main area of her room to find most of the tour group settling on her new bed and watching Renji and Ichigo rolling around the floor in some kind of heated moronic battle.

"I know my room is huge, but isn't this what the underground training area is for?" Rukia complained.

Ichigo and Renji jumped up panting and looking angry. Ichigo started yelling. "This idiot thinks that because he helped build your house, he's gonna live with you in it."

"It's common sense!" Renji yelled back. "I'm not freeloading if I worked for it!"

"You can't just, just…cohabitate with Rukia!" Ichigo flustered.

Karin slapped her forehead in embarrassment. "Geez Ichigo, what are you, 70 years old?"

"Shut up little girl!" Ichigo yelled at his sister.

Renji crossed his arms and looked away from Ichigo haughtily. "It's not like Rukia and I have never lived together before."

Ichigo slapped his hands over his ears. "I don't wanna hear that!"

"Ichigo!" Isshin came up next to his son. "I taught you all about the birds and the bees. Don't get so shy, we're all adults here!"

"We're not." Karin corrected. Yuzu nodded with her arms crossed over her body nervously.

"Maybe I asked of too much..." Rukia shook her head, but didn't relinquish the Chappy. "I can't pay everyone back the way they deserve." Then she quickly added. "And I'm not handing out sexual favors either."

Urahara and Yoruichi each put a hand on her shoulder.

"You've had a lot of hardships tossed your way Rukia." Yoruichi started. "Just let us take the reigns in this and don't worry about paying anyone back."

Shuuhei, Ikkaku, Matsumoto, and Yumichika nodded together. As much as they teased, they were really thankful for everything she put on the line for Soul Society.

"And if it helps," Urahara offered, "Remember all the times I used you without your knowledge to carry out my own devices."

"That does help…" Rukia frowned. Maybe she should ask for another large television for her bedroom…that would take up some wall space…

Renji snorted stubbornly. "I think I deserve to stay here. I worked my ass off."

Rukia quirked an eyebrow at him. A good guilt trip would halt this argument.

"I thought you were doing this out of friendship Renji." She asked with an innocent air.

"I am!" Renji looked perturbed. "I just thought-"

"Oh, so you thought I wasn't capable to live on my own? You don't think I'm responsible or smart enough to get along by myself?" She asked with crossed arms and an attitude.

"No! Wait, do I mean yes? Why do you always do that?!" Renji yelled. "I know you're just trying to confuse me until you get your way!"

"Then why don't you give up now and save yourself a headache."

"Fuck... Fine." Renji hunched over with a pout.

"She does it to me too." Ichigo consoled understandingly.

Renji leaned towards Ichigo. "We should figure out a strategy or something. Cause this kills me every time." They both nodded together while appraising Rukia with squinted eyes.

"Hello?" A voice called out from downstairs.

"Oh that should be Orihime and Tatsuki!" Matsumoto cried out. "I invited them over to shop with us!" She grabbed the twins around each of their shoulders. "You girls are coming too! It's female bonding time!"

Karin threw Rukia a pleading look. "I don't really have to go do I?" She asked as they met the other two girls down the stairs.

"If I have to go, you're sure ass hell going." Tatsuki grumbled.

"Don't curse in front my sister Tatsuki." Ichigo scolded.

Karin looked menacingly at Ichigo. "You curse in front of me all the time."

"Well you never listen to me, so I assumed you never heard anything." He grumbled out.

"That's actually some good logic." Karin smirked.

Everyone filed out of Rukia's bedroom, and most left the house completely with the tour completed.

"What are you guys gonna do while we're going shopping?" Rukia asked her shinigami friends before they left the house. She wasn't going to let them stay in her completed house unsupervised.

"We're going back to Soul Society to try and steal some of Kyoraku's secret stash of sake." Ikkaku grinned.

"But we'll definitely be back in time for the party." Shuuhei added with an eyebrow wriggle.

"You guys have some time." Rukia stated. "The party won't be until tomorrow night."

Ikkaku bared his teeth in a fierce smile. "That gives me time to practice my new dance moves."

Shuuhei sneered. "Yeah…about that…If you do that lucky dance of yours here and frighten the women away I'll make sure the only way you'll ever intake sake again is through a suppository."

"That is the ugliest threat I've ever heard." Yumichika shuddered and quickly left the house, afraid the ugly was contagious.

Ikkaku stared at Shuuhei with an appalled look mixed with fright. "You really take your time off seriously don't you Hisagi?"

Shuuhei bit his lip and arched his brows. "You know what they say, work hard, play harder."

Rukia ushered the men out of her house, absolutely mortified at where their conversations were going and could go when they were intoxicated.

"I don't think I wanna see these guys drunk." Ichigo muttered in agreement. Then he looked to Tatsuki and nodded his head at her. "Hey, Arisawa, lemme talk to you for a sec." They walked into the kitchen where Yuzu was finishing up storing some leftovers for Rukia to have in case some of her cooking experiments went array.

Rukia strained her neck to listen to the hushed conversation, but Orihime pulled her outside where Renji was waiting for her.

"Here you go Rukia." He plopped the keys into her hand. "The keys to your very own house." He smiled sadly at her before saying, "You know how to use keys right?"

She punched his arm before she reprimanded him. "Renji! Of course I know how to use keys. I'm the human expert! You're still a novice."

"Well then maybe you could give me some private lessons?" He asked coyly while still rubbing his wounded arm.

Rukia narrowed her eyes then moved close to Renji. He stumbled back under her gaze.

"I'm really thankful for all the work you did on my house Renji." She said softly. His eyes widened and Rukia watched him gulp nervously. If he was going to be so cocky with his come-ons, he should really work on his follow through.

"But if you insinuate that I'm going to pay you back in any way that's not completely platonic, I'm going to reconstruct your face with my bare hands."

Renji frowned and looked serious. "Come on Rukia. All I'm asking for is some time for just the two of us. You're gonna be living here permanently. Can't I spend some time with you without your stupid strawberry shadow tagging along?"

Rukia was taken back by the points he made. She was going to be living in the real world and acting as a human, aging as a human; at least outwardly. She never felt at home in Soul Society so she never felt a loss. Not once did she think anyone would miss her in the way Renji was speaking.

She smiled at him and took his hand gently. "Just because I'm staying here doesn't mean you'll get rid of me so easily. I'm still a shinigami with duties and I'll be corresponding through video if not in person. I'll always make time for you."

He smiled back.

She continued. "You're my _family_ Renji."

His smile faltered.

Rukia cast a glance at the others before pulling Renji even more to the side. She couldn't quite meet his eyes, but she didn't let go of his hand. "I…I know that's not what you wanted to hear. But…"

Before she could say anymore, Renji pulled her into his arms tightly.

"I know we're family." He spoke into her hair next to her ear. "I missed my shot to be more than that years ago. I fucked up. But…I love you just the same and I learned not to let you go so easily." He pulled her closer and whispered gently. "I'm not asking for your heart. I'm just asking for you to remember that we're family and I'm never letting go of that."

Rukia felt her eyes well up at Renji's words and his honesty. There was a reason the man was her closest friend. She sniffed and closed her eyes refusing to cry. Renji pulled back slightly and ruffled her hair.

"Are you on your period or something? Don't get so emotional."

She used their proximity to bite his chest.

"OW! Fucking shit. You're learning too much at that damn kindergarten!" He pushed her back to arms length for protection.

"At least I'm learning!" She scowled playfully. They broke apart and Rukia smirked at Renji with a shrug. "I guess once I'm settled and financially stable, I'll see about adding a guest room to the house just for you."

He quirked his eyebrow. "You already have a guest room."

She corrected him. "No, I have an office."

"Che." Renji rolled his eyes.

They'd reached an understanding and Rukia felt more at ease with moving into her new home. She started walking towards the girls to commence the shopping trip, but Renji grabbed her arm.

"What is it?" she asked.

He glanced away nervously. "Uh…I'm cool with us being _family _and shit." He suddenly snickered, "Maybe I should call Kuchiki-taicho Nii-sama…but anyway," His nervous face returned. "Just don't rub Kurosaki in my face okay? I ain't that big of a man to watch you get all lovey-dovey, crappy so soon."

Rukia pulled her arm away from him with a disapproving face. "I'm not rubbing Ichigo anywhere."

"Yet." He coughed.

Rukia kicked his calf this time. "You sure did transition quickly from jealous rival to mocking brother."

He shrugged. "It's not like I didn't see this coming. I just like to fuck with Kurosaki."

Rukia chuckled. "Me too." She stopped smiling when she saw Renji holding back snorts of laughter and giving her a look.

"Not in that way! Damn it Renji!" She slapped his arm and left him laughing at her back as she returned to the group.

"Are you ready to go shopping Kuchiki-san?" Orihime asked.

"Sure." Rukia looked around at her friends. "Where did Ichigo go?"

"He said he had to leave." Tatsuki said blandly. "Lucky bastard isn't stuck here like I am…"

"Hey," Karin protested. "I got dragged into this too."

Matsumoto tried to gather the girls in her arms, but they fought her off. "Come on! This will be fun! We get to decorate Rukia's house and pick out clothes!" She swooned. "Oh we'll try on so many clothes! Rukia's in desperate need for something sexy to wear."

"Excuse me?" Rukia suddenly heard what Matsumoto was talking about. She was frowning at Ichigo's departure, but reasoned it would be better not having him around while they were shopping. He was only good for holding bags anyway.

"I'm not buying anything…sexy." Rukia stated. "There's nothing practical in that."

"Oh I think I can convince you..." Matsumoto sang mysteriously.

Rukia reconfirmed her reasoning. It was a lot better that Ichigo wasn't there…but she was still curious to where he went off to…and what he told Tatsuki…

"Let's go!" Orihime dragged her by the arm, matching Matsumoto's enthusiasm. The pair was almost as dangerous as Ikkaku and Yumichika when they were together, but in a very different way.

Rukia wasn't quite sure which pair frightened her the most.

"Let's get Rukia some high heels!"

Ahh…now she was sure…

* * *

_AN: Fast huh? I just got really excited writing this chapter and the next one, so they came out pretty easily. They were a ton of fun to write and I really hope you enjoy them. Feedback, comments, criticisms would be great! Thanks a lot for reading!_

_Oh, and normally I don't like quoting Shakespeare because I don't really read his work outside of school, but I thought the sonnet, which is Sonnet 30 if anyone wants to look it up, fit perfectly with Ichigo and Rukia. The general theme of loss and especially the part about shedding tears, because Rukia's tough like that! I also thought the last two lines really applied to them. So I like how it came out. Thanks again! Review please._


	12. Truth

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. But I'd like to if anyone ever offers..._

* * *

Chapter 12-Truth

* * *

"How long will this take?" Karin grumbled loudly the moment the girls walked through the automatic mall doors. 

"Not too long." Rukia said as she started to fumble through her pocket for her shopping list. "I just have to purchase a few important items..." The list she retrieved rolled open to just above her knee.

Karin grabbed the usual baseball cap adorned on her head and pulled the edges down in desperation. "This is going to take forever! Why'd I let you guys drag me here?" Her sister tried to comfort her as Matsumoto grabbed the list Rukia had started to roll back up.

"Rukia!" Matsumoto cried as she scanned the bulleted items. "This is the most boring shopping list ever! Kitchen supplies, towels, bedding, light bulbs…" she looked up from the paper with a reproachful look. "Where are all the essentials?"

"Toilet paper's on there." Rukia tried to point it out, but Matsumoto merely bopped the shorter girl on the head.

"I mean clothes you silly thing!" Matsumoto exclaimed.

Rukia rubbed her head crossly. "I can only afford what's a necessity. I can't buy every little thing I want on a whim. It's called a budget Matsumoto, even you should know about that."

"Well…" Yuzu approached carefully. "New clothes wouldn't hurt. You don't really have any of your own… Not that I mind letting you borrow my dresses!" She added quickly.

Rukia frowned. "I'm sorry Yuzu. I promise that as soon as I have enough money to buy outfits, I'll make it up to you. I just can't afford to make fashion a priority."

"Actually…You probably can." Tatsuki pulled something small out from her back jeans pocket and handed it to Rukia. "I sorta forgot about it until now, but Ichigo wanted me to give you this…uh…temporary credit card…" Tatsuki's eyes scanned the sky as if searching for an explanation in the air. "You can spend as much as the card will allow, which should be enough for everything on your list and the…essentials." She muttered sarcastically.

Rukia frowned more suspiciously this time. She knew a few details about credit cards and she was planning on dedicating an entire lesson on it when her Human Liaison sessions started. "Why would Ichigo give me this? I'm spending my own money." She asked.

Tatsuki looked aggravated at being asked for further explanation. "Look, it's not his, it's yours to use."

"Then why does it have his name on it?" Rukia asked as she fingered the raised letters that read Kurosaki Ichigo on the thin plastic.

Tatsuki looked miffed. "He just filled out the paperwork so you could have your own credit card. You'll still have to pay the bills on it. Ichigo said he told you how these things work."

"Well he never told me about temporary credit cards…" Rukia mulled it over. She knew with credit cards humans sent in the money later instead of paying up front. Even if the card was Ichigo's, Rukia could be responsible for paying it. "Well okay." Rukia nodded as she came to her decision. "I'll just make sure I pay the bill on time."

"Fantastic!" Matsumoto clapped. "Now that boring business stuff is out of the way, we can start spending all your hard earned money!" She started dragging Rukia towards the nearest clothing store.

"I've never heard of a temporary credit card." Karin started, but then Tatsuki immediately began to drag the girl in the opposite direction.

"Why don't we leave those girly girls to buy clothes while we hit the arcade? My treat!" Tatsuki didn't have to struggle with Karin for long before the younger girl took off in agreement.

"Wait a minute!" Rukia cried out fearfully, now sandwiched between Orihime and Matsumoto with Yuzu leading the way. "Don't leave me with these guys!"

Tatsuki merely grinned sadistically and waved as Rukia was left all alone with the shopping sharks.

"Ohh!!" Orihime gasped. "This pink headband would look adorable on you Kuchiki-san!"

"Pink?" Rukia questioned.

"It'll get that one piece of hair out of the way!" Matsumoto agreed.

"Maybe we should go to a salon and get Rukia's hair styled." Yuzu suggested.

Rukia watched the ample girls bounce and jiggle around in glee. And to the glee of random male passerby…

"Makeover!" They shouted together.

Rukia threw her head back and let the animated women drag her around. There would be no derailing their commitment to make Rukia a fashionista. They visited store after store, and after a lot of perseverance and persistence on Rukia's part, she was actually able complete her list before the other girls forced her into trying on and purchasing outfits.

Rukia couldn't completely complain. Well, she could…but she wouldn't. Her friends were appealing to her more feminine and playful side and she was actually looking forward to seeing Ichigo's reaction to her wearing clothes that hadn't previously donned his younger sister.

She found shopping with a credit card to be quite fascinating. She could pile a mound of clothes onto a counter, swipe her card, and with a, "Thank you for shopping Miss Kurosaki!" from the cashier, she was on her way. She blushed furiously the first time an attendant called her by Ichigo's last name, but didn't correct them. There was probably a lot of paperwork she would have to falsify in order to receive her own credit card. Ichigo was simply saving her time…she was in no way secretly thrilled by the way Kurosaki Rukia sounded in her mind…

The estrogen was definitely getting to her.

Rukia finally convinced Orihime, Matsumoto, and Yuzu that she had enough clothes to last her _at least_ a week according to Matsumoto…Rukia thought the new wardrobe would last her lifetime in Soul Society…And they should meet back up with Tatsuki and Karin before they abandoned them at the mall…if they hadn't already.

As they neared the arcade, they could hear the triumphant yells of Karin echoing across the mall walls. "Suck it Arisawa! I am the soccer star of actual _and_ virtual reality!" Rukia watched the self proclaimed soccer star pump her fist in the air and dance around the dimly lit room filled with noisy machines.

Rukia's eyes lit up at the bright colors dancing around her. "Remind me to make Ichigo take me here one day." She mused bringing their presence to Tatsuki's attention.

Tatsuki turned away from Karin's celebrating to stare wide eyed at the new arrivals and what they had in tow. "Jeez Rukia. I don't think you'll have enough change for _one _round of gaming after all that shopping." She pointed to the mountain of bags and boxes the shopping troupe had brought with them.

Orihime bit her lip. "Hmm…maybe we went a teeny bit overboard…" she admitted.

Matsumoto huffed. "There's no such thing as too much shopping." She frowned disappointedly at the girl she imagined to be her protégé.

"How are you going to get all of that home?" Karin asked sensibly.

Rukia quirked her face. She hadn't thought of that. "We should call Ichigo." Rukia suggested.

"Are you sure you want him to see how much you bought?" Orihime asked a little too quickly.

Rukia shrugged without a hint of guilt. "It's my money anyway. And he's bound to find out about all this stuff eventually." She gathered all the receipts from her purchases to add up the damage. "I wonder how much did I spend though…" She said aloud.

Matsumoto twirled a few fingers at a group of guys who had been watching them. "We don't need to bother Ichigo anyway when there are plenty of able bodied men all around us." With a wink of her eye and a cute giggle, the bag dilemma was solved.

Karin,Yuzu, and Matsumoto began to direct the more than willing helpers they had acquired, while Rukia fumbled with mathematics.

"I need to make a note to tell Urahara to add a calculator to this gigai." Rukia complained heatedly. The notion of a calculator on her person started as a joke, but it was beginning to sound like a very useful feature…

Orihime tilted her head quizzically. "Doesn't your cell phone have a calculator Kuchiki-san?"

Rukia looked up. "Huh?"

"Your soul pager," Orihime went on. "It takes calls, texts, and pictures like any normal phone. Doesn't it have a calculator?"

"Hey it does!" Rukia discovered before grimacing at her own ignorance. "Can we not mention this to Ichigo?" She could already picture his annoying face mocking her.

Tatsuki furrowed her brows and frowned. "What's with you two and secrets?"

"What are you talking about?" Rukia asked as Orihime bit her lip and glanced away.

"Nothing." Tatsuki waved a hand. "Never mind me. I'm just miserable with all this shopping." She said sounding bored.

"You didn't even do the shopping." Rukia declared, still feeling somewhat abandoned and left to the mercy of the style hounds.

"Eh…Are those all the receipts?" Tatsuki shifted the conversation and looked interestedly at the papers gathered in Rukia's fist.

Rukia nodded. "Yes, I've got them right here. A responsible independent human keeps their receipts for their records."

"Right…" Tatsuki said dryly. "Can I see those?"

"Um…Okay…" Rukia handed the papers over apprehensively and then watched Tatsuki promptly dice them into shreds and ribbons.

"Tatsuki!" Rukia dove to the ground to collect the chopped remains. "What are you doing?!" she cried out distressed. "I just said I need those for my records and in case I need to return something!" She glared angrily at the girl who was usually level headed despite all the jabs she must have taken there.

"Sorry Rukia. It wasn't my idea, but I'm afraid you've been had." Tatsuki stood with an empathetic expression on her face.

"What are you talking about?" Rukia asked confused.

"I need Ichigo's bank card back too. You definitely put some damage to his checking account." Tatsuki smirked. "That should teach him to make me do his dirty work."

Rukia steamed. "You told me it was a temporary credit card."

"It's Ichigo's bank card." Tatsuki explained with a laugh. "He said all the clerks give him a hassle because they think he stole it from some cute girl with a name like Ichigo. I'll bet you didn't get ID'd once."

Rukia scowled and made a mental note to mock Ichigo after she beat the crap out of him.

Tatsuki continued explaining. "Ichigo got a job to buy all this crap for you because he knew you wouldn't accept handouts."

"What?!" Rukia's jaw dropped. She knew he was hiding something, but she never figured he'd lied to her about being employed.

"Sorry Rukia." Orihime laid a hand on her shoulder.

Rukia shut her mouth so she could drop it again. "You knew too?!" She pursed her lips together. "Why is it that I'm always being kept out of the loop?"

"Don't get too upset Rukia." Yuzu returned and attempted to console her softly. "It's just Ichigo's way of showing you how much he cares."

"He just happens to also be an idiot." Karin added.

"Nonsense!" Matsumoto joined having sent her little worshipping workers on their way. "You should be happy to have such a great boyfriend Rukia."

"He's not my-"

"Oh, or is that called a sugar daddy?" Matsumoto pondered with a finger scratching her chin.

"A sugar what?!" Rukia snapped.

"Isn't that a candy?" Orihime chirped.

Tatsuki nodded. "I'm pretty sure it's both."

"Can we get some?!" Orihime asked. "We can dip them in chili powder!"

"Wait a minute!" Rukia shouted to regain control and to avoid giving Orihime any more sugar. "We're not having candy! I've been lied to for…for how long?" she asked the group.

"Ever since you got your job Kuchiki-san." Orihime answered.

"And everyone's been keeping this from me from the start?"

"Well actually," Orihime began. "Kurosaki-kun asked Ishida-kun for help to get a job at his father's hospital and asked for it to be kept a secret. But then Ishida-kun told me after we were…um…he told me in confidence…but then I accidentally let it slip to Tatsuki, and Mizuiro heard us and he told Keigo." She paused to reflect. "I'm actually surprised you didn't find out before now."

Rukia gaped at her friends. Secrets indeed. She narrowed her eyes in determination. "Ishida's hospital you say?"

"Oh please don't do anything Kuchiki-san, we weren't supposed to let you know." Orihime pleaded.

"It doesn't really matter now Orihime." Tatsuki grinned maliciously. "Rukia bought everything she needed and she can't return it now. He might as well quit that job. I'm pretty sure he hates it there."

Rukia was fuming. How dare that idiot lie to her?! He couldn't blame her for trying to do things on her own. She never got in his way when he had a stupid vendetta against a hollow. He should have respected her wishes.

Rukia put on her school girl smile and waved cheerfully to her friends. "Well thank you so much for accompanying me on my little outing! I think I'm going to give a special thanks to Ichigo now!"

Even Matsumoto backed away from the killing aura Rukia was radiating as she swiftly set off towards the hospital to give Ichigo a piece of her mind and a taste of her fist.

Her anger kept her pace brisk and she was nearing the hospital fast. "I can't wait to make some jam out of that damn Strawberry…" Rukia growled to herself.

Suddenly her phone beeped at the presence of a hollow and put her homicide plans on hold. "As long as I have some anger leftover for Ichigo…" she muttered. She ran to the area where the hollow's reiatsu was located and paused when she felt another familiar reiatsu go with it.

"Ichigo..." Rukia broke into full speed, forgetting her vendetta and replacing it with fear that one of those tentacled hollows was with Ichigo. She'd been with him every time one had shown up, so she didn't bother to mention her concerns about making contact with the flailing appendages.

The hollow appeared to be close to the hospital, so Ichigo was most likely already engaged. Sure enough, when Rukia was close enough to hear the hollow roar, she heard Ichigo's battle cry as well.

"ARRRGGGG!" Ichigo swung down at the hollow, but a quick tentacle deflected him.

Rukia gasped, but then saw Ichigo pull Zangetsu out to block the attack.

"I'm in a bad fucking mood you ugly shit!" Ichigo yelled angrily at the hollow.

"So am I you lying bastard!" Rukia took pleasure in Ichigo's look of shock as she joined in the attack. She hadn't attempted to switch into her Soul Reaper form since she'd entered her new gigai, but decided the current situation was a perfect time to try it out.

Rukia remembered to focus her reiatsu and concentrate on wielding her zanpakuto, and she suddenly felt a shift. Rukia glanced down and saw she was in her shinigami robes and ready for battle.

The hollow roared hungrily at the new prey landing before him and lashed out an attack.

Rukia easily evaded the furious charge and flipped gracefully over the hollows head. She landed softly on the ground behind the monster and took her battle stance.

"Dance. Sode no Shirayuki." She said with calm grace. She saw Ichigo stare openly at her and she let a smile slip. No matter how many times he saw her use her power, he still seemed transfixed by it. Rukia took a proud satisfaction in stupefying the powerful substitute without even trying.

Her smile wavered when she saw the hollow shift it's aggression back towards Ichigo with a sneaking arm.

"Behind you fool!" Rukia yelled at Ichigo as her zanpakuto's first dance froze the hollow in it's place and in a brilliant crystalline flash, destroyed it within the icy prison.

Rukia ran to where she last saw Ichigo, and unfortunately found him on the ground wheezing.

"Ichigo!" she cried out. She rushed to his side and pulled him into a sitting position. "You idiot! Did you let it touch you?"

He didn't answer but instead grabbed her shoulders fiercely, frightening her with his intensity.

"Rukia!" He panted, still recovering. He looked at her and his intense gaze matched his grip. "Is this what you saw when that last hollow touched you?" He asked almost pleadingly.

Rukia frowned feeling annoyed. "How am I supposed to know what you saw in your own head, you half-wit?" she stated bitterly.

She was only angry at herself for not telling Ichigo sooner about the tentacles. She let it slip from her mind because of her own trepidation from the experience.

Ichigo stood up and brought Rukia with him, not releasing her from his grip. "Did you see Aizen and the hogyoku?" He leaned down and stared into her face.

Rukia nodded slowly. "And I saw Kaien."

Ichigo frowned with his scowl if that were possible. "You mean the espada?"

"I saw them both."

He loosened his grip and rubbed his thumbs along her shoulders. "I didn't see that…"

"I don't know what it means." Rukia shook her head. "I just decided it was best to avoid touching the hollows. Maybe since it's happened to you too we should go to Urahara…"

Ichigo looked away and nodded slowly. "Yeah…there's something not right about this…" He looked back down to her and attempted a smile. "Let's just go home for now and work on this tomorrow."

Then Rukia remembered that she was mad at him and she swiftly punched him in the stomach causing him to double over.

He looked at her like she was insane. "What the fuck?! Are you trying to finish what the hollow started?"

"You lied to me!" Rukia reverted back to their usual arguing to stay away from the subject of bad memories.

Ichigo bent over and shook his head. When he rose he slumped in realization. "You found out about my job huh?"

"Well it seems I was the last person in the city to know!" she griped.

"I'm not going to apologize Rukia." Ichigo said earnestly. "You needed help but you're too stubborn to ask for it. I told you I was going to support you, so go ahead and hit me if you want." Ichigo opened his arms and closed his eyes tightly, preparing for another attack.

Rukia sighed. "I already hit you. I'm too tired to pound information into you that you're already so keen to ignore." She crossed her arms and focused her reiatsu, returning to the form of her gigai. "You're forgiven."

"You going easy on me Rukia?" Ichigo smirked.

"I suppose I am." She glanced at him. "It's the closest thing you'll get to a thank you."

Ichigo placed himself back into his body. "You're the only person I know who thinks not beating someone is a form of thanks."

Rukia sauntered away. "Well that must make me pretty amazing huh?" she teased.

"Amazing…annoying…It's a fine line." Ichigo considered. "But I guess I'll take whatever thanks I get."

Rukia snorted. "Go ahead and say that before you see how much I spent."

Rukia watched Ichigo's eyes widen, then sag with slight distress at the thought of his bank account.

She laughed as they started to return home for the night when she suddenly realized she didn't know where home was. "Ichigo?" She asked. "Where are we going?"

He peered at her incredulously. "I told you, we're going home. Something wrong with your hearing now?"

She rolled her eyes at his response. "I mean who's home? We don't live together anymore."

Ichigo frowned and looked way. "I guess I'll drop you off at your house then I'll go home for the night."

Rukia considered her words before saying them out loud. "Or you could just stay at my place..."

By Ichigo's scandalized reaction, she should have spent more time on her choice of words.

"What?" He asked, still looking shocked.

"We're closer to my house than yours, and you're already worn out." Rukia glanced at his weary and…smelly appearance with a touch of disdain. "I think that hospital and the hollow have done a good job of working you over."

Ichigo looked insulted. "I'm not that weak. I don't need your charity."

Rukia made an 'o' with her mouth. "Oh, so you don't enjoy people fretting needlessly over you when you're quite capable of taking care of yourself?"

Ichigo only scowled and rolled his eyes at her well-timed mock. Rukia grinned knowing her point was made. "Don't worry Ichigo. I won't make you sleep in the closet."

He glanced nervously to the sides and anywhere that wasn't her face. "But…uh, where...what…"

"Come on Ichigo. You don't want to be my first house guest?" Rukia was actually excited for the chance to play host, even if she wasn't truly intending to treat Ichigo as a guest.

"No, it's not that…" he mumbled still looking timid.

"Then just shut up." Rukia said decisively. "You're obviously too tired to form a sentence. You might as well crash at my place." Rukia smiled up at him. "I've always wanted to use that expression."

Ichigo rolled his eyes and found the courage to meet her eyes again. "You're so lame."

Rukia titled her head in slight agreement. "Well I'm sorry, but Nii-sama has never been fond of sleepovers at the Kuchiki manor." She got excited as a thought formed in her mind. "Maybe we could watch movies and eat popcorn!"

Ichigo sighed. "It's not like a girly sleepover Rukia. I'm just crashing because it's late."

"It's my house, it'll be a girly sleepover if that's what I decide it is." She argued.

He looked down at her with unease. "Well I'm not letting you paint my nails or do my hair."

Rukia shivered at the image. "No makeovers." She remembered how difficult it was to pry Matsumoto's hands away from her own hair. "Just…take a shower okay? You smell like…I don't want to even think about it." Rukia grimaced.

"No." Ichigo sighed again. "You don't."

When they finally reached Rukia's house, they were ready to literally crash. Rukia finally understood the validity of the expression.

On the walk over Ichigo told Rukia that he might invest in a car because the trek was just too long. But when she mentioned learning how to drive herself, he quickly rescinded his proposal.

"Why can't I drive a car?" Rukia called to Ichigo who was currently in her bathroom taking a shower.

"It's rude to talk to people when they're in the bathroom!" He yelled over the roar of water.

"It's not rude if it's my bathroom!" Rukia argued.

"You're gonna throw that, 'it's my roof, my rules,' shit over my head aren't you?" he complained loudly.

"It's only fair, since you did the same to me." She called back.

"Whatever." Ichigo's voice was considerably clearer, since he just turned off the water and exited the shower.

Rukia sat on her bed with a manga laying in front of her as Ichigo emerged from the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist.

She quickly pulled the manga up to cover the bright blush she knew was spreading over her face.

Ichigo was glistening with droplets of water and hot shower steam emanating from his body. Rukia peeked over the edge of her manga and tried not to care about the way his muscles tensed when he moved closer and then again when he became aware of her presence and the fact he only had a towel covering himself.

"Shit." Ichigo said as he gripped the towel a little tighter. Despite them sharing a room while Rukia secretly stayed in his closet, there weren't a lot of times when they found themselves half naked in front of their roommate.

Rukia composed herself and managed to roll her eyes at Ichigo as she pointed with the corner of her manga to some folded clothes on the edge of her bed. "You're lucky I'm such a generous host and I took the liberty to buy you some sleepwear while I was at the mall earlier." She tried to sound extra snooty to cover the dryness she felt in her throat.

Ichigo walked tentatively towards the clothes and paused when his hand hovered over them. He looked at Rukia with an odd face. "You bought me sleepwear?"

Rukia's eyes widened at the implications. "I…" Rukia realized that a bulk of money she spent that day was for Ichigo's use. The pajamas were just one thing… "I just thought they looked cute…" Rukia shrugged.

Ichigo scowled at the mention of the word cute and held up the clothes. "You got me fucking Chappy bottoms!" He cried out as the sleep pants rolled out to reveal smiling happy Chappy's all over the legs.

"They didn't have any Chappy pajamas in my size except for some thongs. Matsumoto wanted me to buy them, but I didn't like where that string was supposed to go." Rukia frowned remembering how uncomfortable that should have been and how humans must have had a masochistic side if they enjoyed strings up their-

"You spent my money on thongs?!" Ichigo roared, still holding up the Chappy bottoms.

Rukia glared back. "Well I didn't know it was your money, and no, as a matter of fact, I didn't buy any thongs." She pointed stiffly to the bottoms. "That's why I bought the bottoms instead!"

"But you bought these for me!" Ichigo argued. "You can't spend your money on useless shit just because Chappy's fucking face is on it!"

"Don't you dare insult Chappy's adorable face! And those bottoms aren't useless, unless you'd like to sleep in the nude tonight!"

That argument shut Ichigo up. And he swiftly retreated to Rukia's bathroom again with bottoms in hand, and slammed the door as he changed into them.

Rukia let out a loud huff of breath. She didn't need to get so riled up before she was turning in for the night. There was still the party to set up for the following day.

Rukia stood up from the bed and put her manga away before looking at the inviting mattress again. Though she had suggested Ichigo spend the night, she didn't quite have a place to put him. She had a spare bedroom, but not a spare bed. There was a couch downstairs, but it wasn't a size suitable to Ichigo's tall stature.

Rukia reasoned that her king sized bed would fit the two them with a great deal of personal space between them…if they could get past the fact that they were sleeping in bed. Or rather if Ichigo could get past that fact since Rukia was less prudish and more realistic.

Rukia shook her head realizing why Yoruichi, Urahara, and Isshin had pulled together to buy her a brand new large sleeping space.

"Those perverts." Rukia grumbled out loud.

"Talking about yourself?" Ichigo butted in.

Rukia turned around with a glare that was extinguished by Ichigo's bare chest.

"You didn't think of getting me a Chappy shirt to match?" He asked rudely and folded his arms as if to protect his decency.

Rukia's glare returned. "I'm sorry I couldn't complete the ensemble," she mocked " But that surely doesn't make me a pervert. It just shows how much of a prude you are. To think that I've never seen a bare chest before."

Ichigo glowered down at her and stepped closer. "I'm just beginning to think that this situation feels really set up."

"What are you taking about?" Rukia asked with genuine confusion.

Ichigo smirked. "You invite me over to spend the night, provide me with my own attire, and now I bet you want us to share the same bed."

Rukia gaped in mock outrage but her mind was idling over the fact that it did seem like an elaborate set up. Before she could argue back, Ichigo leaned close and asked quietly,

"Kuchiki Rukia, are you trying to seduce me?"

She slapped his bare arm hard. "What the hell kind of absurd question is that?!"

"Fuck!" Ichigo rubbed his arm where a small red handprint was forming. "It's a valid question! You even bought me a freaking topless nightie to sleep in!"

Rukia almost choked, not knowing whether to laugh or yell. "I bought you Chappy pajama bottoms! That's hardly what I would consider lingerie!" She chose the latter.

"Well I don't know what you're weird sexual tastes are." Ichigo crossed his arms and looked shrewdly down at the short girl.

"Who said my sexual tastes are weird?! You don't know anything about sexual tastes at all!" Rukia poked a finger at him.

"And you do?" Ichigo poked back.

Rukia's hands found her hips as she got into Ichigo's face. "I'm sure I know more than you!"

"Then it's like I said, you're trying to seduce me." Ichigo said with warped logic.

Rukia's eyebrows rose high. "If I were trying to seduce you Ichigo, I'd have to make it pretty damn obvious for an imbecile like you. But I most definitely would not need an elaborate set up."

Ichigo blushed and looked like he was about to argue again but paused. He changed course. "So…are you?…Are you trying to make it obvious?" he asked slowly with obvious nervous distress.

Rukia opened her mouth and blushed herself. "Uh…no?" She didn't know how to answer. She wasn't _trying _to seduce him but…she wasn't against the idea…

Ichigo stiffened and his face darkened. He crossed his arms and took a step back. "Well then quit fucking teasing me."

Rukia was surprised at Ichigo's seemingly offended stance. "I'm not teasing you." She stated.

"Maybe if you'd stop yelling and getting so easily offended you'd realize how ridiculous you sound complaining about whether or not I'm trying to seduce you!" Rukia chastised as she watched Ichigo's hard chest rise with an annoyed breath.

"Well I can't help that you send mixed signals!" Ichigo snorted childishly

Rukia's fists clenched and her lips tightened. It was a long day. She'd worked, shopped, fought and Ichigo's Chappy bottoms were angled on his hips in such a way that Rukia had had enough.

Ichigo didn't notice Rukia's emotions boiling over and continued to complain. "One minute you're spouting Shakespeare like you know it by heart, then you go ahead and praise Renji for blowing up your house. I get a fucking job and you act like it's the end of the world because I bent the truth a little bit. Then you suggest I spend the night? I don't know what to say or do anymore to understand your crazy ass."

"AHHGG!" Rukia groaned as she shoved Ichigo against the wall harshly to stop his incessant grumbling. He fell back with shock all over his face at her outburst.

"Then shut your stupid mouth and don't do anything!" Rukia shouted and did the first thing that came to her mind to get him to stop bitching. Without warning on Ichigo's or her own end, she grabbed his face between her hands and closed her mouth over his.

Rukia's eyes widened in shock as she realized she had impulsively kissed Ichigo. And that she was still kissing him...and he was kissing her back.

She pushed away quickly and let the air rush into her lungs in a gasp. Her hands were still on his face and Rukia saw that Ichigo was holding them there with his own.

They both stood silently, but breathing hard when Ichigo finally spoke. "Now…I know you're trying to seduce me."

Rukia wanted to hit him, but his hands had closed around hers tightly and she couldn't back away to strike him. "I thought I told you to shut up." Rukia said instead.

Ichigo nodded as his eyes slowly slid closed. "Right…your house, your rules." Then he brought his lips down to hers in a second kiss that he took control of.

It was gentler than the way Rukia crushed Ichigo's mouth to stop him from talking, but it seemed just as hard as their lips pressed into each other feverishly between breaths.

Ichigo's hands finally slid off of Rukia's and went to rest on her own face. The kiss turned tender as Ichigo cupped her cheeks and pulled her closer to him. Rukia wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down closer to her height as she sucked on his bottom lip.

A strangled moan sounded out from Ichigo's throat as Rukia ran her tongue around the edge of his lips.

Her own moan followed as Ichigo used the opening to slip his tongue inside Rukia's mouth.

"You're too damn short." Ichigo spoke almost into her mouth, as he hadn't stopped kissing her. Rukia grunted in either reproach for his comment or pleasure in the way his tongue moved against hers. Soon she felt strong arms trail down her shoulders like Ichigo had done during the massage awhile back and then wrap around her waist, lifting her up against him.

Rukia knew Ichigo could easily manage to support her small frame the way it was, but she was aching for closeness that she couldn't believe she had gone for so long without. She wrapped one leg around his torso and then the second, pressing herself hard against him.

They almost fell as Ichigo groaned loudly and trembled at the close contact.

Rukia smiled against his mouth. "Am I too heavy? Do we need to increase your training sessions?" she teased as Ichigo nipped lightly on the edges of her mouth.

He pulled back enough to scowl at her. "I guess if it's training like this I can't complain." He said huskily.

Rukia snorted. "That would be a first."

Ichigo scowled harder. "I definitely need practice if you're still able to mock me like that."

Rukia moved to his ear and ran her tongue along the soft lobe. He shivered and then she whispered with a smile, "You'll never get me to stop mocking you."

"Wanna bet?" Ichigo challenged and then he bit her neck.

Rukia gasped and then hissed. She had expected to be furious at the Strawberry for actually biting her, but she only felt the heat in her body rise and foreign nerves she hadn't felt before explode with intensity.

"Ichigo!" she panted his name. She actually panted his name. Rukia felt like a fool in one of her more adult manga, but as Ichigo sucked on her neck, then her collar bone, and then even lower, she lost the ability to even spell her own name.

"Oh wow…" Rukia managed as Ichigo kissed her senseless. She began to fight for dominance as his mouth found hers again. She wanted Ichigo to feel as helpless, lost, and utterly thrilled as she did. Her legs held against him more tightly and when she felt Ichigo's knees buckle and his hand reach out to a wall for support, she knew she was doing well.

"Holy crap Rukia." Ichigo gasped as her own mouth moved to his jaw. She sucked along the line to his chin and bit lightly in spots she thought were tender.

Ichigo leaned his back against the wall and tried to catch his breath as Rukia assaulted him with her further exploring kisses.

Rukia could feel his heart beating harshly in his chest as she placed a hand there to feel his firm and lean muscles. Then she felt one hand under her shirt to caress her back.

Rukia felt Ichigo's fingers pick at her bra strap. "What are you doing?" She asked breathlessly as her mouth left the shoulder she was grazing her teeth along. Ichigo stopped groaning and set her down quickly looking ashamed. "I-I'm sorry. I-"

Rukia pulled his hand from her back and still holding it, moved it up under the front of her shirt to rest between her breasts. "It's a front clasp." She said simply.

Ichigo's eyes widened in surprise at her willingness. He swallowed and nodded. Rukia smiled softly at him and undid her bra to save him some embarrassment. Ichigo moved his hands to her waist and then lifted her shirt off her body completely.

His eyes got even wider as he stared at her bare chest in front of him. He couldn't look away. Rukia couldn't help but blush under his gaze then she snickered softly. "Come on Ichigo. I know you've seen Yoruichi naked before. Not to mention Matsumoto doesn't leave much to the imagination."

Ichigo continued staring while he answered. "Who?" he asked cluelessly.

Rukia smiled widely. "Good answer." She pulled his face down to her mouth again and tantalizingly drew his tongue out to suck on it gently.

He trembled and let out a low moan before wrapping his arms around her and lifting her up against him once again.

Though Rukia was more exposed, she felt unreasonably hotter. His skin slick and hard against hers made her body vibrate in anticipation for more.

They stumbled back until they reached the wall, but this time Ichigo held Rukia against it. He used his hips and thrusted her body higher so that he could kiss her chest.

They both moaned loudly and Rukia wrung her hands through his hair to watch him as he placed one chaste kiss right above her heart. Then he slowly left feather kisses on her breast until closing his lips softly around a nipple.

Rukia gasped and tightened her grip at the new sensation. She lowered her head into his spiky hair and moaned as his tongue slipped around her nipple experimentally. Rukia was shaking so hard she thought she would collapse. Ichigo looked about the same. His breaths were ragged and she could feel every hot exhale of air tickle her chest before he covered her with wet kisses again.

"Bed!" she cried out. She pushed off from the wall as hard as she could manage and Ichigo flipped them around so he was leaning on it instead.

He strayed from her chest and let his teeth scrape the skin he had been kissing earlier. He groaned frustrated, as if he wanted to bite into her and consume her. Rukia actually wanted him to devour her and practically climbed the wall with her fingers as she felt sharp edges of teeth trail her shoulder, neck, and chest.

"The bed!" she cried out again. "Get to the bed now Ichigo!"

They pushed off the wall together and Ichigo threw her savagely onto the bed. Rukia gasped and bounced as she landed, and then waited to feel Ichigo fall on top of her…

And then she kept waiting…

Rukia caught her breath and leaned up on her elbows to find Ichigo still leaning back against the wall panting.

"What the hell are you doing?" She managed to get out. "I meant both of us! I know you're new at this but…come on. You were doing pretty good earlier." Rukia thought teasing him would be the perfect way to get him to pounce on her, but Ichigo remained still, except for his chest heaving to breath.

He looked up at her and Rukia's eyes widened at his expression. His gaze resembled that of a hollow. Full of pain, hunger, desire…all of it for her. For a second she expected his hollow mask to appear, but realized her expression probably read the same. They were both aching for each other. Years of arguing and what she figured out was sexual tension was finally being released.

"If we keep going like this…" Ichigo breathed hard. "I'm not going to be able to stop." His animal look wavered and Rukia saw his confliction.

"Oh." She said simply. She looked down at herself, suddenly embarrassed by her condition. "I guess we were letting things get a little out of hand huh?" Rukia swallowed and covered her chest with her arms. "But you don't need to throw me around the room." She scolded. "I'm not a plush doll." She looked up to meet Ichigo's eyes again. He was smiling at her.

"I could get used to you yelling at me topless." He smirked.

Rukia couldn't help the smile that forced it's way past her frown and she threw a pillow across the room.

"Is this what I'm going to be sleeping on?" He asked jokingly, knowing that the pillow was a weapon and not an offering.

"What? Now you're ready to jump into bed? Not afraid I'm going to seduce you Kurosaki?" Rukia walked quickly over to her fallen top while still covering herself and put it back on.

"I think you managed to make it obvious enough for me." Ichigo mocked and stepped towards her.

Rukia ran her fingers through her disheveled hair and met the boy's eyes. There was still a lot of desire swimming through them. Rukia felt her stomach flip at having caused so much turbulence in Ichigo's demeanor.

"My bed's about mile wide." Rukia commented. "I think we could both fit without you worrying about losing control again."

"I'm not so sure." Ichigo said smoothly. Then he leaned down and kissed her again. This time it was slow and deep. His tongue gently probed hers without ransacking the rest of her mouth. Rukia felt herself lifting onto her toes to feel more of the kiss. Then Ichigo pulled back with a final suck on her bottom lip.

He ran a hand through her hair and caressed her cheek. "Okay. We can sleep now."

"Speak for yourself." Rukia mumbled, but climbed into her bed anyway. Ichigo followed and lay next to her.

There wasn't quite a mile's distance between them, but it was a lot. Rukia felt restless. She wasn't sure if she was the cuddling type, but she felt an anxious urge to get as close to his body as possible.

They looked at each other from opposite sides of the bed and then laughed at their own awkwardness. "Fine," Ichigo sighed as he pulled himself closer to Rukia. "I'll give." He pulled her by the waist closing the distance between them and let his other hand reach around her head and pull her hair away from her face. There was an advantage to their height difference.

"By the way," Rukia snuggled closer and pulled her legs in. "I usually have cold feet." She wrapped her feet around one of Ichigo's calves and he jerked in response.

"Damn Rukia!" He scowled at her. "Do your feet power your zanpakuto?"

Rukia just shrugged, already finding the warmth of his body to be more comfortable than her plush mattress.

"So…I win right? I win the bet?" Ichigo asked hopefully.

Rukia pinched his shoulder that her arm had wrapped around.

"Damn it! I know, I know! You're not a prize...but I still win right?"

Rukia rolled her eyes before meeting his. "If you call winning spending the last few weeks looking like a dork competing for someone's heart that was already yours, then yes. You've _won_." She said sarcastically.

Ichigo smiled softly. "Sounds like a good win to me."

Rukia shut her eyes and yawed. "Great…I've done the impossible and managed to inflate that oversized ego even more."

Ichigo pressed his forehead to hers. "Then our giant heads will finally match." He teased.

Rukia didn't respond. She was too comfortable in his arms to punish him for his usual idiocy. And she could get used to not punishing him.

"Oi." Ichigo said quietly.

Rukia opened her eyes to stare right into his.

"Kiss me." He didn't quite command her, but it wasn't a plea either. He said it like a fact. Like kissing him would become the standard between them from now on.

Rukia didn't argue and complied bringing her lips gently to his.

She could get used to that too.

* * *

_AN: It's not the end! Although I realize it does have that kind of conclusion feeling. Maybe it's just the end of part one or something. I don't know. I loved this chapter when I started, but now I hate it. I thought I'd let you guys read it and leave comments and suggestions and stuff before/if I decide to change it. If you really wanna cut into me, go ahead and leave me a pm if you're afraid of being rude or something. I don't mind._

_Thanks so much for reading, and don't worry...if you are worried anyway...there's plenty more to the story. Thanks!_


	13. Morning

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. I just buy new socks when the old ones get dirty. If only my dryer wasn't broken...man, I just can't win._

* * *

Chapter 13: Morning

* * *

For the first time since his mother passed away, almost ten years ago, Kurosaki Ichigo woke up with a smile on his face. A big, bright, bring on the world, I'm loving life, smile. 

It probably had something to do with the fact that he also woke up with Kuchiki Rukia on his chest.

Ichigo groaned lazily as the morning sunlight shimmered through Rukia's sheer and super feminine curtains.

"Damn Yumichika." He muttered. He rubbed a hand to his eye as he attempted to sit up but paused when he felt the warm weight of a person on his body. Ichigo's smile broadened when he cast his eyes toward a still slumbering Rukia on top of him. The welcoming image was complete with ruffled raven bed-head and small snores fit for a kitten.

Ichigo's eyes moved to his chest and saw a few bite marks. "Kitten my ass." He mumbled with a smirk.

Ichigo settled back down, content to sleep for the whole rest of the day and cuddle with the girl who usually spent her time berating him.

He dipped his head down and breathed deeply into Rukia's hair. He inhaled the scent of her dark tresses and smirked again.

Strawberry.

He wanted to wake her up and kiss her again. He was almost afraid that the night before had never happened. That Rukia had never jumped him or kissed him. But he knew even in his wildest dreams, Rukia would never willingly undo her bra and let him gaze at her like a piece of tender, juicy steak.

Well maybe in his _wildest_ dreams, but that didn't change the fact that as too good to be true the night before was; it was true. It happened.

Her soft strands tickled his face and Ichigo couldn't help but get excited all over again. He could clearly picture everything that occurred and everything that _could_ have occurred had he not been frightened by his own desires.

"Thinking something perverted are we?"

Ichigo jerked at the sound of Rukia's waking voice rumbling against his chest. She hadn't moved, but her eyes were glancing towards his face.

"I can tell by that smile." She teased. "You look an awfully lot like your father when you grin like that."

Ichigo shoved her with one arm, but the effect was diminished by how he kept her stationed on his chest with his other arm.

Ichigo scowled for the first time that morning. A record in his book. "Don't talk about my dad when we're like this." He glanced around the large room. "I'm almost expecting him to jump out and try to kick me or something." Ichigo grumbled before settling back down comfortably with Rukia in his arms.

"Your breath is horrible." Rukia commented through a yawn.

"You're no ray of sunshine yourself." Ichigo shot back.

They held a scowling contest between them for a few silent minutes, but that quickly ended when they simultaneously dove for the other's mouth.

Neither obviously gave a damn about morning breath.

Ichigo found kissing Rukia was worth anything, not to mention positively electrifying. The lazy comfort he felt earlier evaporated as his body tightened with barely controlled restraint. He'd almost lost control the night before. He wanted to…for lack of a better word, ravage her. And now having her on top of him and writhing against him with her exploring hands, Ichigo wasn't sure he'd be able to stop.

In hindsight, 18 years without so much as holding a girls hand, was probably pushing a testosterone filled body too far.

Ichigo smiled against Rukia's lips as he realized he'd been in a similar situation before. During his first battle with a menos grande, he'd released too much power in a single blow. His lack of control had almost ripped him apart from the pressure. He'd felt the same way when he was with Rukia. He felt he'd be blown away from the raw emotion she elicited from him. He had to take things slow with her. With the menos, the only reason he hadn't died was because Ishida had helped him ease the strain…

"AHH!" Ichigo quickly pushed Rukia back an arm length and cried out in horror.

That was one analogy that could ruin sex for him for all eternity.

"What's wrong?" Rukia asked not having any idea about the disturbing images that played through Ichigo's mind. "Do you have to go to work or something?" she guessed randomly.

"Oh shit!" Ichigo suddenly and gratefully, snapped out of his previous thoughts and remembered that there was a world that existed outside of Rukia's room. He scrambled for the edge of Rukia's bed, which took a few minutes due to its ridiculous size and seized his cell phone from his jean pocket. "Oh shit!" he repeated.

Rukia peered over the edge next to him. "Tardy are we?"

"This is your fault." He lightly accused.

Rukia frowned but then smirked. "It was worth it though wasn't it?"

Ichigo sighed. "Can't really argue there."

Rukia laid back down with her arms crossed behind her head. "You don't need that job anyway. I never asked you to work on my behalf."

Ichigo sat on his knees beside her. "Just because I'm late one day doesn't mean they'll fire me."

"But it's Ishida's father. He doesn't exactly seem like the laid back type."

"True," Ichigo admitted. "But he doesn't even know I'm working there."

"Well at least I'm not the _last_ person to know." Rukia looked away and lost the neutral expression that was sketched across her face. Ichigo had to look carefully, but she seemed vaguely wistful. "I still think you should quit." She said slowly.

"Why?" Ichigo asked becoming curious.

Rukia glanced at him annoyed at his prodding. "Because that place makes you smell worse than the 11th division after a training session." She bit back.

"Hey, I shower afterwards…What's the real reason?"

Rukia rolled her eyes relinquishing some truth. "You said you wanted to help me and I don't need your money. I need…you…to be around to do stuff for me." She ended quickly. "Like reaching high places, bringing me drinks, straightening pictures and what not."

He crawled over her petite form with a smirk on his face. "You miss me." He said with a hint of mockery in his voice. Then he slowly lowered his face towards hers and pulled one of her lips in between his. He sucked gently before letting go. "Admit it."

Rukia's eyes fluttered, but she didn't give in so easily. "Never mind, go ahead and work at a job you take no pleasure in. I'll just replace you with a step stool." She answered in a sniff.

"I don't think a step stool can do everything I do." Ichigo kissed her lightly again.

"I suppose a step stool doesn't have hands…" Rukia mused. "I guess I'll just bring Renji here instead."

Ichigo pulled away abruptly with a red face that didn't come from kissing. "Okay, I don't care if it is your house." His voice rose incensed. "New rule is no talking about my father or Renji or… anyone else for that matter when we're in bed together."

Rukia's eyes widened slightly, and then so did Ichigo's. They both blushed at his words. Despite Ichigo legally being an adult and Rukia being centuries old, the notion of them being…in bed together…seemed very mature and frankly foreign for the relationship they'd carried on since they met each other.

But Rukia's surprised eyes returned to normal and she simply nodded. "Okay."

"Okay?" Ichigo asked with some minor disbelief.

"Yes," Rukia nodded again. "I agree to your terms…but…" she met his eyes slyly. "If you're going to start making up rules in _my_ house, then you'll have to make sure they're worth following."

Ichigo smirked once he caught on. "I can live with that." And he swept his lips across hers, forgetting the earlier thoughts that caused him to stop before. It was hard to believe such a soft and sexy mouth was the one that spent so much time bitching at him. But at least he had a good defense for that now.

Her fingers pulled into his shoulders and dragged him closer to her. He didn't want to crush her, but he knew Rukia wasn't nearly as frail as she looked. He let his body rest on top of hers and gave a small moan at the feeling of them flush together.

Rukia must have enjoyed his weight on her as well, because she deepened the kiss by tilting her head and providing him more admission.

Her kisses wandered from his lips to his face. Feathery but wet wisps of her lips traveled across his cheek and forehead.

Ichigo took the opportunity to tease the smooth and irresistibly soft skin of her neck. She reminded him of a kitten again when he heard subtle purrs escape her throat.

She panted into his ear. "Mmm…that's…Oh-Renji!"

Ichigo stopped immediately. "What the hell?! We just went over the rules!"

"Rules?" said a new voice from the foot of the bed. "Damn Kurosaki, never thought you'd manage to be the one on top." Renji snickered.

Ichigo rolled off of Rukia and covered his naked chest with Rukia's sheets. He distinctly ignored the judgmental look that was thrown his way by Rukia.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Ichigo shouted furiously.

Renji ignored the frustrated yelling that he was accustomed to Ichigo spouting and plopped down on the bed lying on his stomach. He crunched loudly on a carrot he brought with him.

"And get the hell off of our…err...Rukia's bed!" Ichigo kicked at the intruding pineapple but his tempter tantrum went without notice.

"Just don't leave any carrot crumbs on my new bedding." Rukia warned lightly.

"He's territorial ain't he?" Renji asked Rukia, still paying no attention to the flailing Ichigo. "And I gotta say, for you idiots taking your sweet ass time admitting you had the hots for each other, you sure did jump into the sack fast."

Ichigo made a sound that resembled a strangled duck while Rukia just blushed.

Renji went on thinking out loud, using his carrot to scratch his bandana. "Guess that's what they call repressed sexual tension right?"

"Would you shut up!" Ichigo cried out. "We…we didn't…"

"We didn't have sex Renji." Rukia finished calmly.

"Rukia!" Ichigo slapped his hands to the mattress then his face in exasperation.

"What?" She shrugged. "We didn't. Did you want me to say we did?"

"No Damn it! Don't say anything!"

"I didn't really wanna hear anything anyway." Renji muttered.

Ichigo shook his head franticly. "Okay Rukia, rule number two is don't talk about our personal shit to people!"

"Not even Renji?" she asked.

"Bit late for that." Renji muttered again.

"Of course not even Renji!" Ichigo yelled hitting a higher octave.

"Wait a minute." Renji jumped in. "You let _him_ make the rules? Never thought you'd be the submissive in the bedroom type Rukia."

She winked at Renji much to Ichigo's chagrin. "I have to let him think he has some kind of influence. I can't let him know he's as whipped as he really is."

"Stop ignoring me!" Ichigo bellowed. "And I'm not whipped!" A resounding _yet_, rang off in his mind.

Rukia finally turned to him with a questioning look. "Shouldn't rule number two be no other men in the bed?"

"Maybe he's into that." Renji smirked.

Ichigo's calm and pleasant morning was totally obliterated. He would have been better off going to work where people just threw up on him, rather than having his girlfriend and his former rival for said girlfriend gang up on him in the most demasculinizing way possible.

He gave up arguing.

"What are you doing here anyway Renji?" Ichigo pouted in defeat as he crossed his arms.

Renji rolled over onto his back and stretched out like a lazy mutt at the foot of the bed. "I just came over to see if Rukia made breakfast yet. Urahara still won't let me have seconds." He looked up at the couple still under the covers but sitting up against pillows. "But I wasn't expecting to find you two still working on dessert huh?"

Ichigo just groaned and sunk back under the bedding, pretending the bulk of the morning was a bad dream he could wake up from.

"We had a late night fighting a hollow." Rukia explained.

"Is that what the kids call it these days?" Renji teased gruffly.

This time Rukia kicked him, but not as hard as Ichigo would have. "Are you insulting a Kuchiki's honor Abarai?"

"Nah," Renji crunched loudly on the last of his carrot. He spoke with his mouth full. "I'm sure Ichigo's still trying to figure out-"

"Oi! That's a crumb!" Rukia shouted, disgusted at the bits of orange Renji was spewing out of his mouth. "Now get off the bed Abarai!"

Ichigo lifted his head from the covers and snickered at Renji being kicked out until Rukia turned to him.

"You're not lounging around my bed all day either."

Ichigo gave her a surprised frown. "Are you trying to kick me out? You were just asking me to stay a little bit ago."

Rukia shrugged and left the bed. "That was before Renji came in here."

Ichigo glared at Renji for ruining a potentially good morning, while the red head just chuckled from his position at the foot of the bed. The one he still had not vacated.

"You've been successfully cock blocked." Renji gloated.

"Where the hell did you even learn that?!" Ichigo fumed from under the covers. If Renji wasn't leaving the bed, there was no way in hell Ichigo would give up his spot either.

Rukia shuffled through her closet with her back to the others. "Both of you be quiet and leave before you give me a headache." She finished ransacking her wardrobe and walked over to the bathroom with a pile of clothes in her arms. "Renji just reminded me that there's still a party to set up for. Inoue and our friends from school are coming over a bit early."

Rukia leaned on the frame of her bathroom door and gave each of the men a look with arched eyebrows and a twitch of a smile. "I don't want to have to explain why there are two grown men occupying my bed so early in the morning."

At that remark, both Ichigo and Renji scrambled to their feet and retreated to opposite corners of the room.

Rukia laughed as she shut the bathroom door behind her.

Ichigo scowled then scratched his head wondering if his job at the hospital was worth missing sleeping in with Rukia each morning. Minus the Renji intrusion of course. When Rukia leaned out of the bathroom door wearing only a towel, Ichigo's decision was pretty much made.

With a blush Ichigo pushed Renji towards the stairs to leave. "Guess we'll let you get dressed and I'll go to the hospital to give my two weeks notice or something."

"Are pants with rabbits on them part of your hospital uniform?" Renji snapped the band of his bottoms to punctuate his point.

"Oi!" Ichigo slapped Renji's hand away and hiked up his pants. "Quit grabbing at me! It's not like I brought a change of clothes with me-Oh shit!" Ichigo's hands pulled at his hair in realization.

"You curse a lot in the mornings." Renji muttered.

"Shit!" Ichigo ignored him and paced around in circles. "I'm gonna have to tell my dad why I didn't come home last night. Oh man…" Ichigo cringed at the possible explanations his dad would conjure up to explain his absence. He could already hear the man boasting to some poster of his mother how proud he was of his first son losing his virginity.

'_Not quite yet old man.'_ Ichigo thought.

Rukia piped up from the creak of the bathroom door. "I don't know what you're going to do about your father but…I've got some extra clothes for you to change into in my closet."

Ichigo met an equally puzzled glance from Renji and stopped his pacing to check out the closet.

They opened the double doors together and Renji stuck his nose in curiously while Ichigo stepped back in surprise.

It was larger than both of his sisters' wardrobe combined, obviously Matsumoto's doing, that much he had been expecting, but what surprised him was that a good quarter of the clothes lined up weren't for Rukia to wear. They were for a male. Namely, him. Ichigo could tell because not only was everything his size, but the style screamed Ichigo. There were even a couple of shirts with his favorite band printed on them.

Ichigo continued to scan the closet, noting Rukia must have paid close attention to what he liked when he called out to her. "Why'd you get all these for me?"

"Oh! Can I borrow that?" Renji held out a black muscle tank in front of him. "Why do you like such tight shit?" he asked Ichigo, who only grabbed the shirt from him.

"Rukia?" He called again.

Rukia appeared next to them, fully clothed. "Well they're just guy clothes…" She looked up to the blank faces Ichigo and Renji gave her. "And they were on sale… and I needed a sample of male fashion for my H.L. classes…and I-"

Ichigo stopped her rambling excuses by stooping down to kiss her softly on the mouth. "Forget I asked." He smirked at her grumpy attempt to hide a smile and put his hands on her waist to pull her in for another kiss before Renji coughed loudly.

"I'm still here." Renji grumbled.

Ichigo blushed and took a step back from Rukia. "Sorry."

"I'm not." Rukia punched the tall lieutenant in the gut to show her annoyance. "Why are you still here? How did you even get in here?" she griped.

Renji rubbed his stomach and pouted. "I have a spare key. Didn't know you had a blooming sex life for me to interrupt."

Ichigo cringed. "Renji would you shut up about that stuff. Especially in front of everyone else." He rubbed his neck and looked away. "Could you just um…keep this…me and Rukia I mean, to yourself for now Renji?"

Renji stopped pouting and frowned at Ichigo. "Why should I? You should be bragging that Rukia even gives you the time of day let alone access to her pan-"

"That's the kind of shit I'm trying to avoid!" Ichigo burst out.

"I'm assuming that falls under rule two." Rukia chimed in.

Ichigo rose his eyebrows at Rukia. "You're memorizing them?"

She shrugged with a small smile. "Only to throw them in your face later."

"Whatever." Ichigo sighed, but inside he was relieved that he didn't have to explain PDA and his position against it, to Rukia…and Renji. "I'm going to run by the hospital and then go over to Urahara's."

Rukia stiffened at the mention of Urahara. "I should go with you." She said quietly.

Renji scratched his head at the odd change in mood. "What's going on? Why do you have to visit Urahara?"

Ichigo shoved Renji towards the stairs. "Why don't you stick your head in the fridge instead of in our business." He pointed in the direction of the kitchen. "Yuzu put a few homemade dinners in some containers that you eat."

Renji brightened at the mention of food and trotted down the stairs.

Ichigo snorted. "He's like having your own dog around." He looked down at Rukia now that they were alone, and noticed her posture had remained tight.

"I'll go with you to Urahara's, Renji can let the others in." she said in a serious tone.

Ichigo knew the visions affected Rukia a lot more than they affected him. And he knew how important Kaien was to her and how most memories of him were painful to say the least. He wasn't about to make her relive it just to tell Urahara.

"Nah, it's cool." He said trying to sound light. "You'll be busy here. You should just have some fun. It's your party right, you deserve some down time." Ichigo took one of her hands in his and smoothed his thumb over the back. "There's nothing to worry about, I'll just mention it to Urahara and take care of it."

Rukia looked up at Ichigo and titled her head with an amused frown. "I'm supposed to be the one that tells you to relax."

"So? You should learn to take your own advice. Then I wouldn't have to remind you." Ichigo lowered his voice as he pulled her against his chest to stare up at him.

He ran a hand through her dark hair and gazed into her bright eyes. "Let me take care of it." He spoke steadily in contrast to the way his heart was beginning to hammer. It quickened it's pace when Rukia rose up and wrapped her hands around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss.

Ichigo readily obliged and pulled Rukia harder against him as her mouth opened wide for him. He stroked the inside of her mouth with his tongue deeply. Trying to convince Rukia to relinquish some control and let him take care of her.

He knew his actions worked when Rukia pulled her lips from his to let out a deep sigh. He kissed her ears, her jaw, her neck, until she felt limp in his arms and he was confident she wasn't stressed in the least. It felt as if they'd never left bed that morning and Renji had never interrupted them.

Ichigo reluctantly…very reluctantly…lifted his mouth from the crook of Rukia's warm neck and stepped away.

Rukia let out a small whine of protest before shaking herself and smoothing out her clothes and hair. "Yes. Well." Rukia recovered and put on a calm expression. "I do have a party to set up and I need to take proper notes on how human gatherings differ from shinigami ones."

Ichigo grinned. "Yeah, I'll be back in awhile. Don't let anything crazy happen." He warned as he started down the stairs.

"Um…Didn't you want to wear some decent clothes Ichigo?" Rukia pointed to the pajama bottoms he was still wearing.

Ichigo turned pink. He didn't want to be caught dead by anyone else seeing him with Chappy's face on his crotch. Having Renji see them was bad enough. "Oh yeah. Thanks for the clothes Rukia." Ichigo called as he dove into her closet looking for an outfit to wear.

Rukia scoffed. "It was your money anyway Strawberry. Use the downstairs bathroom when you're ready, I still need to finish up in here." Rukia moved to her own master bath and moved to shut the door.

Ichigo leaned back out of the closet to catch her. "What else do you have to do in there?" he called.

Rukia frowned at him. "Girl stuff." She said shortly. "Would you get out of my room now and give me some privacy? I haven't had any since I moved in."

Ichigo went back to the closet and rolled his eyes. "Maybe you shouldn't be throwing a party then." He muttered to himself.

He didn't mutter quietly enough because Rukia forcibly dragged him out of her room slammed the door shut. Luckily he had his clothes for the day in hand, because he distinctly heard the door lock behind him.

Ichigo started towards the downstairs bathroom door but hesitated before leaning against the archway to the kitchen. He watched Renji shovel food from tupperware bins straight into his mouth.

"Hey Renji." He walked over slowly towards the refrigerator invader.

'Huh?" Renji looked up with his mouth full and more crumbs falling from it.

Ichigo looked to the corner and verified that Rukia had a broom…she'd need it.

"I uh…" He scratched his head nervously. "I wanted to say thanks for being so cool about …you know… I uh…care about Rukia a lot." he mumbled, not wanting to voice his feelings for Rukia, but also feeling obligated to tell Renji the truth. "But…you know, I don't hate your guts, so I wouldn't want you to hate mine." It wasn't eloquent, but that was as articulate as Ichigo could get without gagging on being so cheesy.

"Don't be such a pussy." Renji scoffed. He wasn't the most eloquent guy either.

"I saw how whipped you were the moment I met ya." Renji smirked in understanding. "Knowing Rukia, I can't really blame ya. So don't hurt your head thinking about shit like that. We're cool. As long as Rukia is happy. I mean, neither of us can help it if Rukia has a retarded sense of taste. You've seen her drawings."

Ichigo let the remarks slide with a smirk of his own. "Right." He said and he made his way to the bathroom but suddenly a strong arm blocked his path. He looked up to see Renji drop the friendly smile and gaze intently at him. He held a warning in his eyes that Ichigo didn't need to hear spoken out loud. Before Renji could even come up with a really scary but cool sounding threat, Ichigo spoke for him.

He met Renji's eyes fiercely to show how serious he knew the matter was. "I'm not gonna mess this up Renji. I may be pretty inexperienced when it comes to anything that's not fighting, but I won't ever hurt Rukia."

Renji's gaze never wavered and Ichigo knew he wasn't satisfied yet. So Ichigo continued. "If for some reason I ever do hurt her, you'll be the first one I call to run a zanpakuto through my dumb ass. I'll even let you have a whack at me before Byakuya can."

Renji finally smiled, pleased that he'd get the honor to tear Ichigo apart before anyone else could. Even before his own captain, Rukia's brother. It really was a gesture of respect.

The men nodded at each other solemnly, both of them understanding how much Rukia meant to each of them. They became stronger for the purpose of protecting her. Hurting the most important person in both of their lives was out of the question.

Renji retreated back to the refrigerator to devour more of Yuzu's entrees while Ichigo walked towards the bathroom.

"Renji?" Ichigo peeked from the crevice of the bathroom door before shutting it.

Renji looked up at him, with noodles already hanging out of his mouth. "What?" Renji asked confused about what could still be unsettled between them.

Ichigo's face creased with worry and fear. "Please don't tell Byakuya about me and Rukia."

Renji choked and let the plastic container clatter to the floor. "Like I wanna be the messenger for _that_ shit storm. Good fucking luck."

* * *

_AN: This is shorter than most of my other chapters, but the second part of this one was taking too long, so I thought I'd just break it in half and post this as a seperate chapter._

_Byakuya won't be making an appearance yet, but he will eventually. I hope everyone enjoys this, and I'm blown away by how many reviewed for the last chapter. But of course you've gotta love a good IchiRuki coming together scene. Lol. So thanks for all the support! I'll try to make this story worth your time!_

_Oh, and some people might be wondering why Renji's so cool already, but I think he's just the type of guy to hold a lot of stuff in, not to mention I love Renji too much to make him all angsty. I keep blah blah blahing, sorry. Just enjoy and I'll keep writing! Thanks again! You guys are awesome!_


	14. Errands

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. But I sure do love it!_

* * *

Chapter 14-Errands

* * *

Ichigo managed to sneak into the hospital's staff locker room unnoticed. He was several hours late, but with the hundreds of employees on call, his tardiness was barely noticeable. Ichigo began pulling the scrubs he was provided over his head when he heard his name being roared viciously around the corner. 

"Kurosaki!"

"Shit!" Ichigo jumped at the intensity of the yell and tripped over the bench he was standing next to with his uniform still stuck around his arms and shoulders.

"Kurosaki." The cold voice loomed over him and Ichigo's heart stopped.

"B-Byakuya?" he choked out and pulled his head through the neck hole to gaze at what could be his last sight before he died.

"Who?" A tall man with _white_ hair stood above him with a condescending glare.

Ichigo sighed in relief. "Oh jeez. It's only you Ryuuken."

Then his heart stopped again.

"Ishida Ryuuken!" Ichigo scrambled to his feet and pulled his uniform down over the rest of his chest, trying to make himself more presentable to the owner of the hospital and his boss's, boss's, boss. "I uh…I didn't know anyone else was in here." He stammered out.

The reluctant Quincy stood sternly in front of him and sneered. "That's because most employees started their shift three hours ago…"

Ichigo fidgeted under Ryuuken's gaze and tone. "Uh yeah…I was kinda running late this morning." Ichigo scratched his head out of habit. The older man probably thought he had fleas.

"I don't care what you were doing. I don't hire unruly dullards onto my hospital staff." Ishida Ryuuken glowered even crueler if it were possible. "In fact I don't believe I hired you at all."

Ichigo's eyes fell to the floor. "Well…I uh…-"

"No doubt this is my pathetic son's doing." Ryuuken spat. "Always trifling into matters that shouldn't concern him."

Ichigo realized why Ishida Uryu was such an uptight hard ass… The apple did not fall very far from the tree. Then he cringed at the prospect of becoming anything like his own father.

Ryuuken continued his lecture, finding pleasure in Ichigo's submissive attitude. It wasn't an attitude usually featured by anyone with the last name Kurosaki. "I think your unwelcome association with this hospital has come to an end."

At that, Ichigo looked up with surprised eyes. "You-you're firing me?"

"Oh my, you've deciphered my code." He said dryly. "Yes, you are hereby terminated and you can reign your shinigami insolent havoc elsewhere."

Ichigo stood blankly for a moment. He did come into work with the idea to quit. But he wasn't exactly keen on taking such insults, even if they were from Ryuuken.

The older man rolled his eyes in a flutter of impatience and disgust. With a small grunt of a sigh, he lifted his hand to his coat pocket and retrieved a folded piece of paper.

"I thought it would take more than a few large words to convince you to leave. Though I didn't expect you to stand there like a gaping moron." He handed the paper to Ichigo. "This should be enough to influence you to leave without embarrassing yourself any further."

Ichigo started to glare back at the other man, wondering if by some chance Ryuuken and Byakuya were related…or maybe they just had an, 'I hate Ichigo' club…then he looked at what was handed to him. It was a check.

A check with a hell of a lot of zeroes.

Ichigo opened his mouth wider, gaping like an even bigger moron, until he snapped his jaw shut and put on a fake smile even Rukia would have been proud of.

"Yeah, this'll do it! I'll just out of your hair!" And with that, Ichigo flew out of the locker room before the eldest Ishida could change his mind.

The check was more than enough to cover his and Rukia's expenses while he searched for a job that didn't suck out his will to live. "This will take care of us for awhile." Ichigo spoke to himself. Then he glanced around to make sure no one heard him refer to him and Rukia as an 'us'…or to hear him talking to himself.

He started walking towards Urahara's, having taken care of his morning errand much faster than he could have hoped. Even if he did have a run in with Ishida's father, it was worth it.

The check had _a lot_ of zeroes.

"Iiiiicccchiiigooo!!!"

Ichigo jumped out of his shoes at the shrill scream of his name. "What the hell is wrong with people today?!" He complained loudly.

Ichigo glared at the direction the noise came from and saw Keigo and Mizuiro pull up in a swanky sports car. He forgot his anger and let out a whistle as he leaned against the passenger window Keigo had rolled down.

Ichigo peered inside to see leather interior and a stylish stereo system. There was no way a teenager should be able to afford a car like that. Ichigo was convinced Mizuiro was a gigolo.

"When did you get a car?" he asked the playboy driver. Keigo hopped out and let Ichigo slide into the back seat.

"Well while you were off saving the world," Keigo jumped back in when Ichigo was situated. "Mizuiro and I were doing normal teenager things, like getting our licenses to pick up chicks!"

"I have my license." Ichigo bit back. He'd worked hard to make sure he'd be able to drive far away from his father as soon as it was convenient. That said, he'd gotten his license as soon as he was of age. Shinigami duties be damned, he wouldn't be trapped with goat-beard forever.

"That's funny," Mizuiro said as he took off down the road. "Because Keigo _still_ doesn't have his license."

"Mizuiro!" Keigo whined. "That's not fair, I'm this close to getting it! Don't make me look stupid in front of Ichigo."

"You're gonna have to try a lot harder then." Ichigo teased.

Keigo slumped down in his seat in tears while Mizuiro glanced back at Ichigo. "Where are you headed?"

"I just need to get to Urahara's if it's on your way. Thanks for the ride." Ichigo looked out the window, the dreaded hospital already out of his line of sight. He wondered if there were any openings at the school Rukia worked at. She hadn't made fun of him for considering a career in teaching. And though he wouldn't admit it out loud, he had a soft spot for kids. As annoying as they could be…they were actually pretty cute. Maybe Chad's fondness for anything cute was contagious.

"Wow Ichigo," Mizuiro brought Ichigo's attention back inside the car. "That's a cool shirt. I haven't seen you wear that one before."

Keigo's stopped crying for a second as his interest piqued. "That _is _a cool shirt Ichigo! When did you go shopping? More importantly, why didn't you take me with you?!" Keigo's eyes welled up again as he turned around completely and gripped the back of his seat facing Ichigo.

"Would you can it already?" Ichigo sulked. "It's just a shirt."

"But where'd you get it?" Mizuiro asked still curious.

Ichigo shrugged, uncomfortable with where the conversation could go if he wasn't careful. "I don't know. It was a gift."

That wasn't very careful.

Keigo's jaw dropped and pointed a shaky finger at him. "If you tell me that Kuchiki-san bought you that shirt from the kindness of her heart, I will never forgive you Ichigo!"

"That's not much of a threat." He said back.

"Ichigo!"

Ichigo crossed his arms with an impatient grunt. "Shut up already! It's just a shirt. My sisters bought it for me." It wasn't _technically_ a lie since his sisters were with Rukia when she bought it. And it was his money, so it _technically_ wasn't a gift either.

Mizuiro made eye contact through the rearview mirror. "Your sisters sure do have good taste. They must know how much you like tight clothes."

Ichigo glanced at his shirt and pulled on the front lightly. "Why does everyone keep saying that? It's not that tight is it? I just don't like things to be baggy."

Keigo…somehow…hopped into the back with him and threw an arm around his shoulder. "It's nothing to be embarrassed over Ichigo. You just like showing off your chiseled features to the drooling girls."

Ichigo slammed Keigo's head into the seat in front of him. "Don't ever say the phrase 'chiseled features' again. Especially to me." He gritted.

"It's just a compliment." Keigo muffled from the seat cushion.

"Why aren't you guy's at Rukia's yet?" Ichigo asked to change the subject. "She said people were coming over early to help her set up."

Mizuiro answered. "Well we're just picking up our dates for the party. The girls are helping Rukia."

"My empty wallet helped out enough." Keigo moaned.

"Tell me about it…" Ichigo agreed for once. Then he asked, "But why aren't Chad or Ishida with you guys?"

Mizuiro answered again. "Chad's doing all the heavy lifting for the girls, because Rukia had some furniture delivered and Ishida barely lets Inoue out of his sight nowadays. They really are attached at the hip."

"I'd be attached to some part of her for sure." Keigo drooled. "Keep her on a tight leash, you know what I'm saying?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes, but didn't speak up in case Keigo thought of switching the focus from Inoue to Rukia. Ichigo couldn't imagine Rukia on any kind of leash….actually…

"I'm really surprised Ishida roped her in at all." Mizuiro mused from the driver's seat. "She had the biggest crust on Ichigo for the longest time."

Ichigo sat up in surprise. "Huh?"

"You're so lucky Ichigo." Keigo smiled sadly. "All the girls like you." Then he bounced on the cushion in excitement. "_That's_ why you were such tight clothes!"

"Shut up." Ichigo pushed Kiego down again and leaned between the seats to get closer to Mizuiro. "What are you talking about Mizuiro? Inoue had a crush on me?"

"Wow you are seriously dense Ichigo."

"Watch your mouth!" Ichigo fought hard not to hit the driver.

"I'm sorry but it's true." Mizuiro spoke honestly. "Inoue was crazy about you but never said anything. Everyone knew about it."

Ichigo furrowed his brows in confusion. Orihime was like another sister to him. He couldn't even imagine her harboring feelings for him. It didn't make any sense in his mind. Ichigo had to admit that besides annoying fan girls, he'd been pretty blind to anyone who may have shown him affection in that way. He'd only started paying attention to girls when he met Rukia.

But Rukia wasn't anything like any other girls he'd met.

"You think Ishida's just a rebound guy?" Mizuiro asked the car's passengers.

"No way." Keigo took Ichigo's spot between the seats. "I heard Tatuski and Orihime saying how Ishida-"

"You mean you eavesdropped on a private conversation." Ichigo corrected while gazing out the window.

"Whatever." Keigo blew him off. "Anyway, Orihime is really over Ichigo. Guess you missed out buddy." He slapped a hand on Ichigo's shoulder and shook his head.

Ichigo shirked the hand away. "There's nothing to miss out on. Inoue is just a friend. I've never seen her as anything more than that."

Keigo grinned. "I could point out at least two things you're missing out on."

Ichigo punched him in the chest. "Would you stop being such a pervert! Quit talking about people behind their backs!"

"You think they're having sex yet?" Mizuiro broke in.

Ichigo blushed at his candor. "Mizuiro!"

Keigo pulled himself between the seats again. "Oh that's the best part! Orihime told Tatuski-"

"Shut up!" Ichigo pulled Keigo back once again. "This is why I never tell you guys anything! You spread the nastiest rumors!" He crossed his arms and scowled wishing Chad was the one with wheels.

Mizuiro turned to Ichigo curiously. "Are you saying that you have something to tell?" he asked with a grin and arched eyebrows.

"Would you just keep your eyes on the road." Ichigo looked away but Mizuiro continued his questioning.

"Ichigo, if you had known Inoue liked you in that way would you have made a move?"

He shook his head and met Mizuiro's eyes. "I told you. We're just friends."

"Like you and Rukia are just friends..." Keigo asked slyly.

"No! I-I mean yes…We're all _just_ friends." Ichigo glared harder out the window.

"Are the three of you _friends_ together… at the same time?" Keigo giggled out before Ichigo shoved him.

"Damn it! You're such a pervert! I don't know why I even hang out with you guys!"

"Because you don't have a car." Mizuiro stated simply.

Ichigo pulled out the money he'd received from Ryuuken. "Well I just got this big fat check I can use as a down payment for one."

Keigo grabbed at the rectangle paper, and even Mizuiro's eyes widened when he saw the number.

"Jeez Ichigo!" Keigo said as Ichigo snatched back the check. "Where'd you get all this money?!"

Ichigo snorted. "I think it's Ishida Ryuuken paying me to keep my distance from him and his hospital."

Mizuiro smiled. "You could make a fortune with a job like that Asano-san."

Keigo hung his head in agony. "Why do you hate me?"

"Are you going to buy a vehicle Ichigo?" Mizuiro ignored his gloomy best friend. "Because I have a girlfriend who's selling her motorcycle."

"A motorcycle?" Ichigo asked.

Keigo recovered. "You should totally buy a motorcycle Ichigo! Girls love bad boys! They'll be flocking towards you and you can say cool lines like, 'How about some power between your legs?'"

Ichigo stuck out his tongue in disgust. "I wouldn't be caught dead saying shit like that!"

Mizuiro nodded. "I'm sure you could get laid without such a cheesy pick up line."

"Mizuiro!" Keigo and Ichigo cried out in protest for two very different reasons.

"I bet Rukia would love to ride a motorcycle." Mizuiro thought aloud.

Keigo's expression turned dreamy. "I remember when she was just a sweet, demure, transfer student who won my heart with her sparkling personality." He bit his lip in bliss. "And she's kept it under lock and key even though she's really a death goddess brandishing a katana that could slice my devoted heart in two.

Ichigo stared at him. "Did you have a point?"

"Oh." Keigo came back to earth. "She'd look hot on the back of a motorcycle."

Ichigo rolled his eyes and turned to look out the window to avoid his blush of agreement. He could imagine riding a motorcycle with Rukia's arms wrapped around behind him, squeezing tightly as the wind whipped up at her knee length skirt. It would be similar to the times she used to piggyback on him to hunt hollows.

"Why are you smiling like that Ichigo?" Mizuiro asked while Keigo peered closely at his face.

"I'm not smiling." Ichigo forced a scowl to replace what _had_ been an unconscious smile.

"You look kinda like your dad when you smile like that." Mizuiro noted.

"Tell your girlfriend I'm interested in her motorcycle." Ichigo said quickly.

"That won't be an issue. She'll ride it to the party tonight and you can see it."

Ichigo looked confused. "But I thought you were picking up your girlfriend."

Mizuiro laughed with a shake of his head. "No Ichigo. I'm only picking up one of my girlfriends. The rest have their own transportation."

"How many is the rest?" Ichigo asked.

Mizuiro lifted his eyebrows in thought and started the calculations in his head.

This took a moment…

"Never mind." Ichigo mumbled while Keigo started crying again.

"Why do I hang out with you guys?" Keigo moaned.

"Because no one else can stand you." Ichigo said. "And even I have my doubts."

"Ichigo, don't be cruel." Mizuiro scolded.

"Whatever, I'm just-" Ichigo heard a familiar scream in the distance. He looked out the window to see the car passing by a park across from the middle school. "Slow down Mizuiro." Ichigo ordered. He did and that's when Ichigo clearly heard a scream followed by the roar of a hollow. "Holy shit that's Yuzu!"

Ichigo was about to yell for Mizuiro to stop the car completely, but suddenly a giant clawed foot from a hollow slammed into the pavement in front of them. Mizuiro instinctually screeched the car to a breaking halt before they careened into the monster.

Keigo grabbed Ichigo. "Ahh! Ichigo do some-" Keigo shook his arm until he realized Ichigo wasn't in his body at all. "I hate it when he does that."

Ichigo got onto the roof of the car and jumped towards the hollow with Zangetsu high above his head. "Yuzu!!" He roared when he saw his sister being squeezed inside the coiled tentacles of the hollow.

"I've had enough of you bastards!" Ichigo hollered furiously as his blade cut the arm holding his little sister.

The hollow screeched in pain as the disembodied tentacle dropped to the ground. Ichigo swept underneath to catch his sister before she fell to the ground with it.

"Ichigo!" Yuzu coughed as air filled her compressed lungs and she held onto her brother tightly. Ichigo jumped gently towards the park to set Yuzu down safely when Karin ran towards them panting.

"Ichigo! Is Yuzu alright?! The hollow came down and smacked me away before I could get to her." Karin rushed to their side and took the wheezing twin in her arms.

"It touched you?" Ichigo asked.

"It's just a scratch, I'm fine. How's Yuzu?" Karin's eyes reflected worry for her sibling.

"It's okay Karin. Watch her for me, I'm gonna kick this bastard's ass."

"Be careful Ichigo!" Karin instructed while still holding Yuzu.

"I'm always careful." Ichigo tried to smirk to calm Karin and then rushed at the hollow again.

This time the hollow shot multiple tentacles at him in a swift attack. But Ichigo was faster, and by now he was getting used to the offensive moves the tentacled hollows had been unleashing. With a few quick flash steps, Ichigo maneuvered out of the way of each of the tentacles flying at him and appeared directly in front of the hollow's mask.

He roared and the hollow wailed as Ichigo's zanpakuto swung down firmly through the tough white material.

Ichigo panted a few deep breaths before running back to where he left his sisters. He found Mizuiro and Keigo standing beside them, along with his body he'd left in the backseat of the car.

Keigo stretched out a complaint. "As skinny as you are, your body sure is a pain to drag around."

"Well Rukia never had a problem tugging it around. I guess you've just got the muscles of a 12-year-old." Ichigo ribbed before sheathing his zanpakuto and crouching down beside a much calmer looking Yuzu. "Hey kiddo, are you okay?" he asked gently.

Yuzu brightened at Ichigo's arrival and threw her arms around his neck. "Ichigo! I was so scared! The hollow hit Karin before I could even call for help. I'm so glad you came!"

"Next time just run for it Yuzu." Karin scolded her sister harshly to cover the fear that had gripped her earlier.

"I'm just thankful for Ichigo being here." Yuzu squeezed her brother tighter and Ichigo returned her embrace.

He looked up to Karin with Yuzu still in his arms. "Don't you guys worry about what you saw either. It was something in the past and it's not going to come back again."

Karin made a face. "What are you talking about? Hollows are always showing up around here. Though I haven't seen so many ones with creepy tentacles."

"Maybe they're getting it on like rabbits." Keigo offered.

"Don't be so gross in front of my sisters!" Ichigo let go of Yuzu to whack the brunette on the head. "And that's stupid Keigo. Hollows don't breed." He didn't want to picture a hollow that could. He gentled his look for his sisters. "I meant the visions you saw when the hollows touched you."

Yuzu sniffed. "I didn't see anything Ichigo. I just saw you coming with your sword." Ichigo furrowed his eyebrows in puzzlement. Then he turned to Karin, thinking Yuzu was still getting used to seeing spiritual things and maybe the hollow didn't affect her. "Did you see anything Karin?"

Karin's shoulder length hair swung as she shook her head. "I didn't get any visions. I grabbed at the hollow to keep it away from Yuzu and then it threw me to the side." She rubbed her elbow in a grimace. "Stupid jerk hit my arm and I know it'll leave a bruise, but I didn't see anything weird."

Ichigo backed away and concentrated on the ground. When a hollow first touched Rukia, there was barely any contact, but the visions were strong enough to almost knock her out. Then after he came in contact, the images blinded him with memories of that night.

"Why didn't it affect Yuzu or Karin?" he asked aloud.

"Uh Ichigo?" Mizuiro put a worried hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright? What's wrong?"

Ichigo snapped out of his thoughts and saw everyone staring at him with concerned faces. "Nothing, nothing at all. I just have to get to Uraharas. Mizuiro could you do me a favor and take my sisters back home?"

"Oh no you don't Ichigo!" Karin rounded on her brother and crossed her arms. "You didn't even bother to call home last night! Dad was so happy he made me and Yuzu stay up most of the night planning your engagement party!"

Ichigo balked. His father was truly insane.

"You didn't go home last night Ichigo?" Mizuiro slowly let a smirk grow on his face.

"NOT FAIR!!!!" Keigo screamed. "You've been having sex all night with-"

"SHUT UP!" Ichigo matched the scream in volume and pitch. "If you even think of finishing that sentence I'll cut you up into ferret food!"

Yuzu gently pulled at Ichigo's sleeve. "Were you really at Rukia's all night?" she asked innocently. She was the only one who was probably worried when he didn't return home.

Ichigo's face pulled a pain expression. He didn't want to lie to his sister with her big, wide, brown eyes staring at him. And Karin was too smart to believe any lie he could come up with on the spot. He just didn't want Mizuiro and Keigo to spin the truth into something they could spread around school. Although…he realized they wouldn't have to spin the truth very far…

"Uh…Yeah…I stayed in Rukia's spare bedroom last night." He lied a little.

"Oh really…" Karin tapped her foot skeptically, and waited for the whole truth.

"Yeah really." Ichigo scowled. "We were fighting a hollow just like this one. I got a weird vision when I touched it and it really put me out. Rukia just didn't want me passing out on the way home."

He hoped they were buying what he said. He was mixing the truth and the lies so well he was confusing himself. They'd have to believe him.

"Whatever." Karin grumbled. "Just make sure you call home next time you, 'fight a hollow'." Karin air quoted.

Ichigo rolled his eyes and caught Keigo and Mizuiro struggling not to laugh their asses off.

Yuzu just smiled at him. "I hope Rukia enjoys those meals I made for her. I know how busy she must be with the house."

"Yeah, they looked great." Ichigo said. They must have been great the way Renji had devoured all of them. "So you guys get home. I'll…" he hesitated as he came to grips with what was waiting for him eventually. "I'll talk to dad tomorrow."

"You're not coming home tonight?" Yuzu asked.

Ichigo glanced at Keigo and Mizuiro who were rolling on the ground now and clutching their sides. Ichigo sighed. "No I probably won't be able to make it. I want to stay at the party to make sure nothing gets too crazy and I don't know how long it'll go on for."

Yuzu beamed. "Rukia's so lucky to have you watching out for her Ichigo! I know how stressed she was with moving and graduating this year."

Keigo slapped Ichigo on the back. "Yeah, I'm sure Ichigo's finding a ton of ways to relieve Rukia's stress."

Before Ichigo could pound Keigo's perverted face, Mizuiro grabbed his friend and dragged him towards the car. "Let's go girls! Your brother has some business to attend to and Keigo and I have dates awaiting our arrival."

"Like you two could find any girls _that_ desperate." Ichigo heard Karin tease before watching her slip into the back seat with Yuzu.

"Well I can, but Asano-san still has some learning to do."

"Mizuirooo!!"

Ichigo scowled as the car drove away and Yuzu waved happily out the window at him. He kicked the dirt, wishing he didn't have to attend any social function where his _already_ idiot friends would be adding alcohol to the mix. Not to mention a few drunken shinigamis. He needed to take care of the hollow problem quickly so that he could properly supervise.

Ichigo was also getting seriously worried about the hollows and whatever visions they were bringing. He wondered if it was a shinigami thing, and maybe that's why it didn't affect either of his sisters.

Ichigo slipped back into his body and set out for Urahara, who wasn't very far away now. Urahara always had some kind of answer, and if he didn't, he'd still be the best one to figure things out.

He walked lazily all the way to the shop and found the owner and Yoruichi in cat form relaxing on the front porch.

Yoruichi's cat ears perked at his arrival and she spoke from Urahara's lap, "What a surprise Ichi-"

"NEE-SAN!!" Kon bounded out of the shop and skidded in the dust looking for his favorite female shinigami. He looked severely disappointed when he didn't see her accompany Ichigo. "What the hell are you doing coming around here without Nee-san?!" Kon stomped his little plush feet as Ichigo came closer. "There are hollows running around! You should bring her along so I can protect her with my-UMPH!"

Ichigo ignored the annoying plush, and proceeded to step on the fluff ball like he wasn't even there as he walked up to the porch. "Actually, I am here to talk to you about the recent hollows Urahara." Ichigo said.

Yoruichi jumped off Urahara's lap and padded into the shop while Urahara tipped his hat in greeting and moved to follow her. "If that's the case Kurosaki, why don't you come inside?"

Ichigo nodded and found himself at the usual small meeting table. "I kinda wanna make this quick because Rukia's setting up for her party and I want to be there." Ichigo attempted to sound polite and not as rushed as he felt.

"Ah, and how is dear Kuchiki-san?" Urahara smiled as he started to wave his fan about, completely ignoring Ichigo's request to get to the point.

"She's fine." Ichigo shrugged shortly.

"Have you been able to use that underground training area yet?" Urahara asked. Yoruichi looked up from the bowl of milk she had been lapping at. Ichigo could have sworn she was smirking at him.

"No," He answered. "We've been pretty busy setting up the inside of her house still. The girls took her shopping and now they're setting up some extra furniture Rukia bought." Ichigo chuckled. "It's a full time job trying to keep Rukia from putting bunny decorations up everywhere."

Urahara laughed. "Well I'm sure she's enjoyed that large, cushy bed by now hasn't she? How is that going for you?" Ichigo could practically see the glee radiating from behind Urahara's fan.

He scowled at the perverted ex-captain and fought to keep the heat from rising to his face. It wasn't fair that he could defeat hollows, arrancars, and even Aizen, but he couldn't stop a stupid shade of pink from gracing his cheeks.

"I wouldn't know." Ichigo lied scathingly.

Urahara snapped his fan shut with a broad grin. "Well maybe you'll find out one of these days!"

"Did you say you had a question about hollows?" Yoruichi rescued the blond man from being impaled by his own cane.

Ichigo snarled, but tried to focus on the problem at hand. "Yeah. We've been dealing with a lot of hollows with tentacles lately. I think too many for it to be a coincidence." Ichigo frowned and scratched his head at how to explain what happened. "Anyway…Rukia and I, on separate occasions, with separate hollows, well…when we touched a tentacle, even briefly, we kinda got this shock of images playing in our heads."

He glanced at Urahara and Yoruichi for any kind of reaction before he continued. Urahara's eyes were hidden by his hat and he still had a twitch of a smile on his face, which could mean anything for the mysterious man.

And…Yoruichi was a cat. She looked…furry.

Ichigo went on. "We both saw visions of Aizen and the hogyoku. Basically that night that I killed him." Ichigo spoke solemnly. "Except Rukia also saw that espada she fought and… Kaien…"

Yoruichi's tail swished in an almost understanding manner before she spoke. "It's very common for visions of past battles to replay through an individuals head if something jogs their memory. Both you and Rukia have had…difficult encounters with tentacled hollows specifically. It would make sense that the sight of one could stir these feelings inside each of you."

Ichigo frowned in thought. That could explain why the hollows had no affect on his sisters…But Ichigo didn't believe that to be the reason. He shook his head. "That makes sense. But I didn't feel anything when I _saw_ the hollow. The visions only occurred when I touched it, and they lasted until the hollow was destroyed."

"Did the reiatsu seem familiar?" Urahara spoke, his eyes still covered by the shading of his hat.

Ichigo shrugged. "I wouldn't really know. I forgot to ask Rukia about it. But…" Ichigo cast his eyes to the floor. "She seemed really affected by it. Something tells me that there's something serious going on with these hollows."

"I believe your suspicions are right on that front Ichigo!" Urahara abruptly sounded cheerful. "The hollows you've been dealing with could very well be minions of a much larger and most likely, more dangerous foe. Maybe even a rogue arrancar from Hueco Mundo." Urahara smiled dreamily the way only a scientist could. "They have so many varying abilities and powers we know nothing about!"

"That doesn't sound like a good thing." Ichigo frowned.

Urahara waved his fan carelessly. "Pish posh Kurosaki-kun! We'll just plan an elaborate mission to coax out the lead hollow and you'll swing that big cleaver of yours to lop off it's head!"

Urahara stood quickly and patted Ichigo's head roughly. "Don't you worry that bright little noggin of yours! I trained you myself, so there isn't a hollow around you can't deal with!"

Ichigo glared and grabbed his head to stop the crazy blonde from shaking him around. "You really think it's that simple?" He asked annoyed.

"Of course!" Urahara beamed. "Just quit getting handsy with the hollows you're supposed to be cleansing and everything will be fine!" he poked Ichigo with his fan until the teenager stood up ready to bolt or attack. "Why don't you concentrate instead on getting your hands on that Rukia of yours?"

"Why you-!" Ichigo aimed a fist back at Urahara, but Kon grappled his arm instead.

"Don't even think of soiling Nee-san! A big brute like you would crush her!" Kon hopped away and onto the table. "Nee-san needs the soft and gentle touch of cotton and felt!"

"I think Rukia would prefer something that wasn't a plush toy." Yoruichi said lamely.

"Maybe if I were in a Chappy toy…" Kon wondered to himself.

Ichigo's eyes widened at how that plan could actually work, but quickly started to scowl again and promptly kicked Kon into another room. "I came here to discuss hollows! Not Rukia's…whatever!" He turned back to Urahara who was actually looking away thoughtfully. "Are you sure there's nothing else going on?"

Urahara quickly put a smile back on his face. "I'm always sure! Just like I'm sure that you and Rukia will-"

"Well if that's all." Ichigo stormed out the room as quickly as he could manage. He made it to the door when Urahara called out to him.

"Kurosaki."

Ichigo looked back over his shoulder. He could see Urahara's eyes peering at him from behind his fan. "I'd be extra careful to keep Rukia away from those hollows, especially if she is in her true shinigami form."

Urahara's eyes darkened and Ichigo shivered from a chill despite the lack of wind. "Some memories are more painful than we'd like them to be…"

Ichigo scowled anxiously. He hated when Urahara hid his true meaning behind loaded words and riddles.

Then Urahara dropped his fan from his face and smiled like a schoolboy. "Come back again soon! And tell me how that bed works out!"

Ichigo scowled again and slammed the door shut behind him. He hated it more when Urahara switched gears into full-blown pervert.

He hoped the bastard wasn't giving Kon any tips.

Ichigo checked his watch and saw Urahara has wasted a lot more time than he would have thought possible. His day had sped by pretty quickly, and Ichigo was welcoming the end of it. Unfortunately, he still had Rukia's stupid party to chaperone. He'd already faced Ishida Ryuuken, a hollow, Urahara, and Kon…he didn't know if he could handle a bunch of drunken teenagers _and_ shinigami.

Ichigo's cell phone rang, interrupting his inner pity party, and he heard a slurred voice on the line before he even had a chance to say hello as he answered the call.

"_Ichi-_hick_-go?"_ the deep, but obviously inebriated voice asked.

"Renji?" Ichigo frowned. "Why are you calling me? And why are you drunk already? Has the party started?"

The bustling background noise from the other end of the line indicated the party _had_ already started. A loud crash followed by a lot of laughs indicated that Ichigo should have been there hours ago.

"_Oh yeah, Ichigo."_ Renji said in a friendly, but possibly concerned manner. _"I'm not drunk yet. Well…I'm probably not sober anymore…but that's not the problem!"_

Ichigo pulled the phone away from his ear as Renji yelled the last line. "There's a problem? What's wrong? Where's Rukia?" Ichigo picked up his pace with the phone to reach Rukia's house more swiftly.

"_Is tha my Itsygo?"_ Ichigo heard Rukia slur on Renji's end and he almost tripped over his feet.

"What the hell?!" Ichigo shouted, now running full tilt. "Why is Rukia drunk?! I'm going to kill you Renji!"

"_Don't yell!"_ Rukia shouted at him. She must have taken the phone from Renji. _"It's rude to yell indoors." _

"I'm not indoors!" Ichigo yelled back. "I'm running from Urahara's to meet your drunk ass. Put Renji back on the phone!" Renji he could deal with. The drunken Rukia scolding him was highly disturbing.

"_I'm still here."_ Renji spoke. _"She's uh…she's kinda on my back leaning over my shoulder. So both of you should stop yelling..." _

"_Poow Wenji!"_ Rukia cooed. _"Do youw eaws huwt?"_

"_You sound like a drunken Chappy."_ Renji giggled. Actually giggled.

Ichigo couldn't take much more and he was now considering stealing a car in order to arrive at the house faster. "What the hell is wrong with you two?! And Renji you better get her the fuck off of your back unless you want me to snap it in two!"

"_I think my boyfriends jea-lous!"_ Rukia sang loudly over the line.

Ichigo ran faster. He didn't know how much Rukia had had to drink, but judging by her size, it made sense if she couldn't hold her liquor. There were a lot of things Rukia could say to her party guests that would put Ichigo in a coma of utter embarrassment.

He wanted to take a deep breath to calm himself, but couldn't because he was panting from the pace he was keeping. "Rukia." Ichigo said as slow as he could. "Why don't you just sit down and watch Chappy until I get there okay?"

Ichigo heard a struggle and clips of what Rukia and Renji were saying.

"_Rukia! Let's watch----Ichigo said----or pancakes."_ Renji came in and out. Then Ichigo somewhat heard a reply from Rukia.

"_Noo! I want----the bottle! Tatsuki taught me how to----my skirt's short but----Shuuhei that tickles!"_

Ichigo either snapped his phone shut or into tiny pieces…either way, he didn't hear the rest of the conversation.

Ichigo was breaking land speed records to get to that party.

* * *

_AN: That was fun! Party's up next and I know everyone's been looking forward to it! So leave me a review and tell me what you thought of this chapter and anything you want to see happen during the party. Well, you don't have to of course. Do whatever you feel like doing. But I know there's tons of stuff that can happen in the next chapter and I'm just curious what people are really hoping for. Maybe I'll oblige. Thanks so much for reading, I hope you're enjoying the ride!_


	15. Party!

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. But I'd happily take some of those guys home for myself! Oh, and I don't own any songs either...at least not any that anyone's heard of._

* * *

Chapter 15: Party

* * *

Ichigo pushed up the porch of Rukia's house and jumped over the steps, yelling furiously before he even reached her front door. 

"Rukia!" And then as an afterthought, "Where the hell is Shuuhei?!"

He yanked open the door realizing no one would be able to hear him no matter how loudly he yelled.

The party was in full swing and people were _everywhere_. It was barely dusk outside, but music was blaring and Ichigo could feel the bass beating all around him. He saved his voice and instead the slammed the door with a scowl as he tried to make his way through the crowd.

He didn't recognize most of the people packed into the living room and surrounding areas, but he spotted his friends fairly easily. In the center of the room was a shining bald head and a few bright red spikes bopping up and down to the loud music pumping through the air. For a second he thought he saw a pair of large white ears, but suddenly his path was blocked by a completely different kind of pair...

"Ichigo! You finally made it!" Matsumoto cried out as she pulled him into a fierce hug. A bright blush would have been seen had Ichigo's head not have been trapped in Matsumto's generous valley.

"Gfff ffa fffuf mfff mfff!" Ichigo's arms flailed frantically as he tried to save himself from suffocation and castration if Rukia caught sight.

Matsumoto blinked and pulled the teen from her bosom. "What was that Ichigo? Are you drunk already?"

"No I'm not drunk!" Ichigo shouted after gasping for breath. "I said get the fuck off me! What's going on? Why are there so many people here? Where the hell is Ruk-?!"

Matsumoto shoved a shot glass into Ichigo's face and titled his head back to swallow or drown in whatever she was pouring. "Well then you need to catch up!" she smiled broadly as Ichigo sputtered on the liquid that tingled down his throat and dribbled down his chin.

"What _was_ that?" Ichigo coughed out. He hadn't planned on drinking anything, especially after the frightening phone call from Renji, but whatever Matsumoto had given him, Ichigo could tell it was strong and…odd…

Matsumoto only grinned back at him. "That was the special concoction Orihime and I came up with!"

Ichigo paled.

He felt a hand grasp his shoulder and turned to see Ishida shaking his head sympathetically. "Sorry Kurosaki, I wanted to warn you before you came in." He threw a slight glare at Matsumoto. "Make sure you don't get more than one shot of that. It's pretty…potent…" Ishida glanced away nervously.

Ichigo pointed when Ishida turned his head. "Is that a hickey?"

Ishida attempted to flip his collar up and coughed. "I told you…it's potent."

Matsumoto slapped both boys on the back laughing. "I knew I'd have to force you two stiffs to have some fun! It's a party! Get a little crazy! Orihime is the _best_ drink mixer!"

At that moment, the 'best drink mixer' arrived with a very flushed face and pulled the three friends…plus one random stranger, into another bone crunching hug. "Rangiku! Uryu! Ichigo!…Whoever you are! I'm so glad you all came!" She let go of the hug but kept her arms around Ishida. The random partygoer fainted from the strain.

Ichigo could only gape. He'd never heard Orihime utter his first name or anyone else's for that matter, except for Tatsuki. He glanced to Ishida with a raised eyebrow.

The Quincy pushed his glasses up his nose and supported Orihime who might have been dancing or attempting to stand up straight…it was hard to tell. Ishida coughed again. "This is what five shots will get you."

"Kuro-cookie-kun!" Orihime giggled, "I could give you the recipe for my 'Super Fantabulous Suicide Sake Sugar Mix Extreme', if you'd like!"

Matsumoto clapped. "That's a great name for it Orihime! I'm going to start selling it in Soul Society! It really takes a lot for shinigami to get drunk. We tend to build up an intolerance to it after living so long." She giggled with Orihime and they danced around each other with Ishida in tow. "It's been so long since I've had such a good buzz!"

Ichigo shook his head at their display, but quickly stopped. He was feeling a bit dizzy after just one shot. He'd make sure to keep away from Matsumoto for the rest of the night to avoid anymore of her sneak attacks.

Ishida pulled way from the girls and stumbled towards Ichigo. "I blame this whole party on you Kurosaki." He mumbled.

Ichigo snorted. "Hey I was against this thing from the start. It's not my fault you can't handle your own girlfriend."

Ishida's lips tightened and he attempted to adjust his tie, when he realized it had been pulled off and was now wrapped around Orihime's head. Ichigo smirked when he noticed, while Ishida scowled at him. "I wouldn't be so smug Ichigo." Ishida shoved his glasses tightly against his nose as Orihime and Matsumoto started to prance around him. He pointed a finger towards the women. "They've had about ten shots between them." He put on a menacing smile. "Kuchiki's had about fifteen."

Matsumoto and Orihime stopped dancing when they heard Ichigo's very audible groan above the loud dance music. Orihime smiled brightly. "Rukia's the one who told me to add the extra three cups of sugar!"

Matsumoto patted Ichigo's head, ignoring his wide and frightened eyes. "For being so tiny, she can really down those things."

Ichigo gulped and set his eyes to look above the crowd again. He really needed to find Rukia.

Ishida grinned again. "Don't worry Kurosaki, Abarai and Hisagi have been keeping a very close eye on her."

Ichigo decided to save the punch he was thinking of aiming at Ishida's brainy head. He'd have to have enough energy for Renji and Shuuhei.

"Relax Kuro-cookie-kun!" Orihime joined Matsumoto in patting his orange head. "They're all just dancing."

"Would you please stop calling me that?" Ichigo pouted before Matsumoto grabbed his arm.

Matsumoto dragged the small group towards the center of the room, her cleavage knocking out those who didn't know any better than to get out of the way. "See Ichigo! Tatsuki taught us all to dance like normal humans!"

Ichigo snarled as Matsumoto suddenly pushed him forward, but his anger was quickly forgotten, and instead his jaw dropped at what he'd been thrust into.

Right in front of him was Rukia. Only it wasn't just Rukia. It was Rukia…dancing…in clothes…certain clothes he'd never seen her wear before…and was it mentioned that she was dancing?

Ichigo knew her zanpakuto's command phrase was dance, but he never seen Rukia apply the phrase to herself. She was swaying smoothly with her eyes closed. She was dancing like no one else was in the room, looking loose, having fun, and _sexy_ as hell.

Ichigo couldn't stop staring at her face…or her hips…or her legs…or her-hell, he couldn't stop staring at all. He'd seen Rukia look cute and beautiful in plenty of dresses. The fact that his sister wore those dresses and he still found Rukia attractive in them spoke volumes to her appeal. He never said anything out loud, but inwardly, he'd appreciated her overall look. But the way she was dressed now…

Ichigo didn't know much about fashion, but he knew the denim skirt that hugged her thighs as she swung back and forth, and the black off the shoulder top that gave a teasing glimpse of her shoulder, must have been a sophisticated look. Rukia sure as hell pulled it off.

He let his eyes wander down her swerving hips and towards her legs. At the end of the beautiful trail, Ichigo noticed Rukia was wearing heeled boots. They must have sucked to walk in, but they made her legs look even longer and her body an average height. He would hardly have to bend at all if he shoved her against a wall and-

"Appreciating my influence huh?" Matsumoto dove into his vision while snapping his chin up to close his drooling mouth.

Ishida and Orihime laughed as Ichigo attempted to put himself back together. He would blame the 'Super Fantabulous Suicide Sake Sugar Mix Extreme' shot that Matsumoto forced on him…

"The mall's here are great!" Matsumoto exclaimed. "I could easily apply my rules of fashion! Number one rule is if you're going to be popping out in once place, tone it down in another! I don't always follow my own rules, but what can I say, I'm a rebel!"

"We couldn't get Rukia to wear the mini-skirt and the halter top. She said it was too much." Orihime added.

Ichigo wasn't sure what those were exactly, but he made a note to find out later.

Ishida grunted. "Hmm…I was sure you'd go crazy when you saw them dancing Ichigo. I guess you're much better at controlling your emotions than usual."

Ichigo frowned, not understanding what Ishida was talking about, before looking back at Rukia with realization suddenly hitting him. Rukia wasn't the only person in the room. And she certainly wasn't dancing by herself. Her outfit and hypnotic rhythm distracted him from noticing Renji _and_ Shuuhei sandwiching her, the latter with his hands on her waist…

Rukia was also clutching a giant Chappy plush, but Ichigo wasn't _that_ jealous.

"What the hell?!" Ichigo thundered out and stomped forward before Rukia suddenly jumped at him.

"Ichigo!" She quickly attached herself to his torso, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Ichigo instinctually put his arms around her back to catch her but his facial expression held his surprise and embarrassment.

"What the-" Ichigo grunted out as another person jumped on his back.

"Cookie-san! You found Kuro-cookie-kun!" Orihime cried gleefully in his ear.

"What's with all this cookie shit?!" Ichigo cried as he struggled to balance with two obviously drunken girls using him as a…well there wasn't really anything odd enough to compare it to.

"Because our names sound like cookies, _duh_!" Rukia shouted into his other ear.

"See what I mean about the yelling in my ear thing now." Renji muttered.

"This is all your fault!" Ichigo bellowed at either one of the tattooed vice-captains snickering in front of him.

"That's my line." Ishida complained as he attempted to detach Orihime from Ichigo. He was having a hard time as she and Rukia were trying to play a game of hide and seek between Ichigo's head and shoulders.

Ichigo batted at the giggling girls pulling his hair. "Knock it off!" he cried.

"It's smells like strawberry, Strawberry!" Rukia let go of his hair and tried to glare at his face. "Have you been using my shampoo?" she asked in a threatening voice as her eyes crossed.

Shuuhei scratched his head while Renji snuggled into the abandoned Chappy plush. "You think I should dye my hair orange?" Shuuhei asked. "Seems to really work on girls."

Renji shrugged. "Maybe you should cawwy cookies awound." 'Wenji' suggested with the Chappy in front of him.

Ishida finally got a handle on the jubilant auburn-headed girl. "I'll take this one off your…back." He chuckled slightly at his own pun while Orihime laughed madly. "Uryu! You made a joke!"

With the weight off of his back, Ichigo easily carried Rukia and continued to storm up to Renji. "What in the fuck is going on here?" He growled lowly.

Renji moved the Chappy in front of his face. "We're just having fun Ichigo. Lighten up." He waved the rabbit's arms for effect.

Ichigo was not affected by the fuzzy cuteness and swung Rukia to rest on his hip so she wouldn't be affected by the dancing bunny either. "Does fun require feeling up my-err…an indisposed Rukia?" he glared at Shuuhei who easily ignored him.

"I think everyone's equally indi…uh…what you said." Renji answered as he tickled Rukia's legs with the fluffy plush.

Rukia laughed as Shuuhei addressed Ichigo. "Besides, Tatsuki taught us how to dance." Shuuhei grinned. "You humans really know how to get right to the point." He nudged his elbow at Renji. "It normally takes me until after dinner to get a date that close."

Ichigo scanned the room for Tatsuki so he could throw his wrath towards her, and ask about the kinda of dancing lessons she took, but couldn't see her through the density of the people around them. He turned back to Renji. "Fine, I'll drop the dancing…for now…but why'd you let Rukia get so drunk?" Ichigo glowered at the redhead until Rukia moved in front of his face.

"It's a party Ichigo!" She smacked his head as if he were an idiot. "People are required to have fun at parties. You should smile more!" She pulled on the corners of his mouth to get him to grin.

"Ow! Damn it Rukia! Quit poking me!"

"That's what she said!" Rukia shouted before falling limp in Ichigo's arms while she laughed at her own joke

Ichigo almost dropped her. "What are you guys teaching her?!" He quickly turned to the crowd. "Where's Keigo?" He automatically accused.

Rukia recovered and jumped down off of Ichigo to throw a swift jab at his stomach. "Relax Ichigo. I knew you'd have a hard time with this. You're so high strung." She grabbed his arms to loosen him up.

He glared down at her, though not as far down as usual. "I'm high strung? You're the high strung one! And you're yanking my arms from their joints!"

Renji suddenly burst out laughing. "That's what she said! I get it! Like, she said it to a guy!" Shuuhei laughed at Renji, Matsumoto laughed at them both, and Orihime just laughed in general. Even Ishida cracked a smile.

"Seeeee." Rukia pulled Ichigo down by his shirt collar. "Everyone's having fun but you!"

Ichigo took a deep breath to give her a piece of his mind, but instead he smelled her perfume and leaned closer. "Is that vanilla?" he asked quietly.

Rukia smiled at him, but before she could respond, Ikkaku joined the group along with Yumichika, Chad, and Tatsuki.

"Oi! You stopped watching my new lucky dance!" Ikkaku shouted to Rukia, Renji, and Shuuhei. He looked at the rest of the group and noticed Ichigo's arrival with a cocky grin. "Oh, Ichigo, you finally showed up. Some party huh?"

"The music is a little…different." Yumichika commented. "But everyone dressed up nicely. It's a very beautiful party." He sipped the cocktail in his hands, complete with a little yellow umbrella. "Seems I finally found a fitting background for myself."

Tatsuki rolled her eyes then widened them when she saw Orihime. "Orihime! You left me with these fruits!" Glancing to Chad, "Uh, not you Chad."

Chad nodded at Tatsuki before nodding to the music and giving a thumbs up greeting to Ichigo.

Orihime, still hanging on Ishida turned to her friend. "Sorry Tatsuki, I got distracted by…." She put her finger to her nose instead of her chin to think and scrunched her face. "Well I don't remember."

"I'm sure it was something shiny." Tatsuki shook her head. "You're such a ditz when you drink." Then she turned to Ichigo with a grin. "Did you try that stuff she and Rangiku made? It's pretty good." She jerked a thumb at the shinigami behind her. "It's the only way I could stand Beauty and the Bald over here."

Ikkaku stopped 'dancing' and pulled out the wooden sword he took with him everywhere in the human realm. "How many times do I have to tell you?! I am not fucking bald you crazy-"

"There you are!" Keigo crashed clumsily into Chad as if he were a brick wall. "I've been looking for everyone! Mizuiro left me all alone!"

"How can everyone find us in such a big crowd?" Ichigo grumbled before he remembered the shiny head that pinpointed their location earlier. He nodded at Keigo. "I thought you brought a date?"

Keigo pouted. "Turns out…they were both going with Mizuiro. I don't know where he gets these girls!" he cried.

"Why don't we talk to him and find out!" Shuuhei grabbed Keigo's shoulders eagerly and pushed him toward a group of girls making eyes at him. Ikkaku grinned, forgetting his death match with Tatsuki and followed, dragging Yumichika with him.

Tatsuki clapped her hands happily. "Now that those idiots are gone, let's dance!"

Ichigo scowled. "Yeah about that…" He narrowed his eyes at her and pulled Rukia close to him as she reached for a drink someone offered her. "What kind of dancing are you teaching these guys?"

"Stop being such a grandma!" Tatsuki teased. "That's how people dance in these crazy modern times." She mocked. She pointed at Ishida and Orihime. "Even Ishida loosened up."

Sure enough, the couple was spinning around the other, and though they both looked dizzy and stumbled easily, they seemed to be having fun.

"Hell," Tatsuki continued. "Even Chad's dancing." Ichigo turned to his tallest friend feeling a bit betrayed. Chad immediately stopped swinging his arms and looked guilty.

Chad shrugged. "Inoue makes _really_ strong drinks. But it is fun to dance sometimes Ichigo." Ichigo only glared in response and Chad took the opportunity to grab the giant Chappy plush from Renji and find a safer place to dance.

"I need more of what Orihime made before I really let loose!" Matsumoto proclaimed before shoving the drinks she had already towards Renji's now empty hands. He happily drank whatever was passed to him.

"Are you going to dance with me or not?" Rukia poked Ichigo in the side to get his attention. Then she turned the pokes to tickling.

Ichigo let a…giggle…slip before smacking her hands away. "Stop it!" Tatsuki grinned mischievously, and grabbed Renji.

"Be my dance partner Abarai." She started dragging the buff lieutenant away before he had a chance to agree.

"Wait! I need to warn Ichigo!" Renji tried to call out, but Tatsuki muscled him away.

Ichigo scowled after them. "I am not a grandma..." He would have complained more, but Rukia started tickling him again. "Damn it Rukia!" He laughed uncontrollably before grabbing her wrists in both his hands. "Quit tickling me!"

"Then dance with me moron!" Rukia pulled her wrists down behind her causing Ichigo to wrap his hands around her. He frowned at her sneaky maneuver. Drunk people weren't supposed to be able to trick him. Damn that shot…

"It's just dancing Ichigo." Rukia stated as she attempted to keep Ichigo's hands on her body willingly.

It didn't take too much trying.

Ichigo let his hands rest on her hips that started to sway to the music. "It's not 'just dancing' the way you're doing it." He muttered.

Rukia pouted and pulled on his shoulders to bring him closer. "I've been informed that this is how humans your age dance and even though I agree that the movements are quite scandalous, it is quite common and even acceptable."

Ichigo cocked his head, perplexed at her well-dictated explanation. "How do you make so much sense when you're drunk?"

"I'm not that drunk, I'm just having fun." Rukia moved her fingers to the back of Ichigo's neck and he did a quick scan to see if anyone was watching them. Everyone seemed too into the music, their drinks, or their dates to notice one awkward Strawberry.

"Well you sure do seem drunk." Ichigo stated in a low voice as Rukia's fingers started to tease the soft hair at the nape of his neck.

"I am of the legal human age to partake in the drinking of alcohol and I am also a very mature and responsible shinigami." She stated calmly, not noticing Ichigo's hands tightening around her waist.

Ichigo smirked. "I heard you pretending to be Chappy on the phone."

Rukia frowned. "What's wrong with Chappy?"

"Do you really want me to start?"

"You're such a buzz kill!" Rukia started to push him away but Ichigo held tightly to her arms before she could go anywhere.

"Alright, alright…I'll dance if it'll shut you up." Ichigo rolled his eyes before relaxing and paying attention to the music. "I don't like dancing." He grumbled out.

Rukia smirked and said, "Maybe you'll start once you've danced with me."

She made way too much sense when she was drunk.

Surprisingly, Rukia turned her back to Ichigo before they started dancing and then pulled him flush against her. His eyes widened and he couldn't help but glance around again, but most others seemed to be in similar positions. He frowned when he realized Rukia knew more about dancing and she'd only been a teenager in Karakura for the totaled sum of a year.

A remix of "Holding Out for a Hero" came wafting through the air by a band called Frou Frou. Ichigo recognized the music from a CD he borrowed from Tatsuki. It was a chick song, but he liked the beat.

He found dancing to be easier and less awkward than he originally thought it would be. It was nothing more than moving his hips back and forth in time with the music and with Rukia. Perhaps Rukia made it easy, because her small body cradled gently in his and the warmth she provided flowed nicely through Ichigo's entire body. Of course it did pool in some areas…Areas that Rukia would undoubtedly notice given their current position.

He blamed Inoue's drink again.

Ichigo didn't know whether to pull away or pretend nothing was wrong and start thinking about baseball to calm himself. Rukia had other ideas, because when she felt _him_ she pushed closer against him and then swiveled her hips in a way that made Ichigo's jaw drop and his head fall back. He immediately wrapped his arms tighter around her and put his head into her hair. He knew she could feel his breath on her ear and he saw little goose bumps rise on her neck.

Rukia swiveled her hips again and Ichigo ground back into her. He felt her body tremble and her arms left his to reach up and wrap around his neck. She gazed up at him with violet eyes no longer looking wide and bright from drinking too much, but half-lidded and foggy with lust. Ichigo met her gaze with one of his own and pushed his hips towards her again, but firmer. He wanted to watch her reaction when he did. He was rewarded when Rukia gasped and then ran her tongue over her lips slowly. He was going to lose it.

Rukia suddenly turned around and pulled Ichigo's face down to hers. She leaned into his ear and breathed an offer, "Want to go up to my room?"

Ichigo couldn't even stutter any type of response before Renji showed up and stared wide-eyed at the pair. "Ah crap." He moaned. "She's skipping around whole stages."

Renji sighed loudly, then shook his fist toward the bar area/Rukia's kitchen. "Damn that 'Super Fantabulous Suicide Sake Sugar Mix Extreme'!" After venting his frustrations, he sighed again and lifted Rukia away by the waist, tucking her under his arm before grabbing a still unresponsive Ichigo to drag up the stairs with his other hand.

Shuuhei, Matsumoto, Ikkaku, and Yumichika watched from the bar area/Rukia's kitchen, as the trio escaped up the stairs. Shuuhei laughed. "Wow, Abarai's taking the initiative huh?"

Matsumoto nodded. "At least that way everyone wins." And she took a long, deep, chug of the sake bottle they were passing between them.

"I don't win." Ikkaku grumbled as he yanked the bottle away from the pouting blonde. "I thought Kurosaki would grow some balls and lay into her by now. Didn't know he'd need Abarai to pave the way for him." His pretty best friend patted his smooth head in condolence.

"I think you three are jumping to conclusions." Yumichika said airily. "I heard Abarai say that he forgot to warn Ichigo about Rukia's drinking schedule."

"Ohhh." A collective understanding fell over the group. Then Ikkaku snorted.

"He really should have warned the poor kid earlier. Rukia could have torn him up worse than Zaraki-taicho."

"I've still got the scratch marks from before he warned me." Shuuhei admitted. His friends stared at him.

"Scratch marks from _which_ stage?" Matusumoto asked with uncontrolled curiosity and a lecherous smile.

The tattooed shinigami smirked and wiggled his eyebrows. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Before any of the others could prod the dark haired lieutenant any further, Tatsuki and Chad wandered over. "Hey," Tatuski nodded at the group. "Do you know where Renji went? Chad's a great dancer, but he's a little stiff for me…no offense."

Chad shrugged before declining the sake bottle that was offered. He now knew better than to accept any drink from Matsumoto.

Ikkaku answered Tatsuki's question. "He went up stairs to Rukia's room." Tatsuki's eyes widened and she dropped the bottle she just received.

"Don't waste the sake!" Matsumoto cried out.

"Renji and Rukia went up there alone?!" Tatsuki asked to confirm. "Shit! I totally wasted my money on Ichigo. That coward, I knew he was taking too long!"

"Oh no." Yumichika grinned. "He's up there with them. The three of them ran up the stairs like a hollow was tearing after them."

Keigo popped up behind the two lieutenants and shouted during a quiet lull in the music, "Abarai Renji, Kurosaki Ichigo, and Kuchiki Rukia all went up stairs alone?! Together?! The three of them?!"

The stereo cut off and the rest of the party focused a spotlight on the group by the bar. Shuuhei grinned evilly. "Yup. All three ran off together." He proclaimed loudly.

Silence followed until a closet door opened and Orihime burst out with a shirtless Ishida behind her. "I win the pool!" Orihime cheered.

Upstairs, two shinigamis and one substitute sneezed simultaneously.

"That was weird." Renji muttered.

He didn't know the half of it.

* * *

_AN: The long awaited party chapter! I split it because I thought a slight cliffy would be funny. I'd recommend listening to music while reading, that's what I did and I think it helps keep a quick pace. I listened to Frou Frou's Holding Out for a Hero, Hellogoodbye's All of Your Love, Test Your Reflex's Pieces of the Sun, and Fall Out Boy just to name a few. I'd check out the songs anyway, they're pretty rad. Lol, I said rad. Hope you enjoy! There's definitely more in store!_


	16. Party! II

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Also, I do not support or encourage underage drinking, binge drinking, or drunk driving. Anything in this story is purely for fictional entertainment. Okay, I'm done playing mom, let's get wasted! Woo hoo!! I'm 21. I'm allowed._

* * *

Chapter 16: Party!! (II)

* * *

"Why did you drag us up here?" Ichigo grumbled. He plopped himself down at the foot of Rukia's bed, as Renji and Rukia sat facing him at the head.

He frowned for a second feeling awkward with their positions, then crawled over towards Renji. "Switch spots with me, this feels weird."

"I'll switch with you Ichigo." Rukia began crawling towards him, completely missing his point, but Renji pushed them both back down.

"Quit squirming around. We'll play musical chairs later." Renji folded his arms. "I've got something important to discuss here."

Rukia rolled onto her stomach and kicked her legs. "Renji if we're going to have a threesome I'll need a lot more to drink." She sing-sang.

Ichigo jumped up. "No fucking way! No! If that's what you dragged me up here for-" Ichigo bent to grab Rukia and run for it, but Renji knocked him back down with a pillow.

"Sit your ass down. I'm not that drunk." Renji frowned annoyed.

"Can you get _that_ drunk?" Ichigo asked somewhat afraid of the answer and hating the size of Rukia's bed.

Renji looked toward the ceiling and seemed to mull it over. "Well it hasn't happened before…so I'm pretty sure it's not likely."

Rukia giggled from her position. "What about that time you and Shu-" Another pillow hit her in the gut.

"Shut the hell up Rukia! You don't know what you're talking about…" Renji quickly turned to Ichigo. "She's drunk, don't listen to her. That's why I brought you up here in the first place."

Ichigo frowned and crossed his own arms. "I'm not gonna take advantage of her if that's what you were afraid of." He looked away. "We were just…uh…dancing."

Rukia snorted ungracefully and rolled onto her back, her arms punching the air instead of her legs. "In another five minutes we would have been-" Ichigo whapped her again with the two pillows from earlier.

"Shut up Rukia!"

"My room has too many pillows!" Rukia complained as she clutched her stomach.

Renji pulled the pillows away from the pile Rukia was about to drown under and threw them off the bed. "Man, Inoue's drink really messed her up. She's all out of order."

Ichigo leaned back on his arms and scratched his head. "What order? What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about WASCHU."

"Bless you?" Ichigo offered.

Renji slumped. "No, not achoo, WASCHU. Rukia get your sketchbook."

Rukia hopped towards her side table giddily while Ichigo clutched his heart. "No! Renji! I swear I'll do whatever you want, just don't get the notebook!"

Renji waved a hand at him. "Calm down. I just need to explain Drunk Rukia to you."

Ichigo settled…slightly, he was still pretty apprehensive. "And you need diagrams for that?"

"Well sorta, but mostly it occupies her." Renji mumbled. "Anyway, Rukia gets drunk in stages. First it's Witty Rukia."

At that point, Rukia held up her drawing. Under a large 'W' was a picture of Chappy in a dress with bangs hanging in it's face with a crowd of, what Ichigo could only assume were bears, laughing around it.

Renji nodded at the drawing with a small smile. "Heh, nice Rukia."

Ichigo thought he must have been going blind from all the alcohol, but Renji continued explaining. "So Witty Rukia is basically when she's buzzed. She's just a lot funnier than usual."

"I'm quick with the snappy remarks." Rukia smiled smugly in agreement.

Ichigo thought Rukia was witty enough and was happy he missed that 'stage'. Her jokes would have been at his expense anyway.

"Then it's Silly Rukia…uh, that's the one you heard on the phone." Renji rubbed his neck sheepishly. "Sorry about that. Silly Rukia's really cute, but only if you're drunk too. Or if you just like cute things I guess. Which a lot of people-"

"Get to the point Renji." Ichigo groaned.

Rukia closed her eyes wisely. "Renji rambles when he's drunk."

He shoved her lightly. "I do not! I just happen to…uh…say more of what I'm thinking."

Ichigo smirked. "So you get pretty quiet when you drink?"

Renji pointed at him. "You shut up!" Then he pointed to Rukia. "And you forgot to illustrate your Silly stage."

"I really don't need visuals." Ichigo cut in.

"Whatever." Renji continued. "After Silly Rukia is Clumsy Rukia. She stops with the Chappy talk, but she trips all over herself."

"Maybe you shouldn't be wearing those boots then." Ichigo motioned to Rukia's heels as she drew another picture. This time the Rukia Chappy was waving it's arms and falling upside down. Ichigo shivered. "Rukia you realize your drunken drawings are exactly the same as when you're sober?"

"Well I'm a great artist." Rukia smiled as she drew the next stage. She poked Renji with a finger without looking up. "Hurry up and explain the rest, Tatsuki promised we'd play spin the bottle once Ichigo got here."

"No way are we playing spin the bottle!" Ichigo cried out.

Rukia pouted and slapped her sketchbook on the bed like a 3-year-old. "But Tatsuki proooomised!"

Renji pulled the sketchbook away from Rukia and showed Ichigo the next page with a big 'A' on it. "We'll play games later. I gotta explain this shit before I forget again."

The picture could have been an angry Chappy Rukia throwing a fit in the middle of a group of bears or…some kind of forest creature orgy…

"Trust me Ichigo, you'll wanna know, because Clumsy Rukia and Angry Rukia go hand in hand. She'll start throwing things but her aim's all off."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Ichigo asked as he tried to keep Rukia at bay. She took a sudden interest in drawing a mustache on him.

Renji pouted and drew within himself slightly. "Pfft. Yeah, it's a really good fucking thing when she's aiming for your shin and kicks something else instead…."

"Oh yeah!" Rukia pulled away from Ichigo and snatched her sketchbook from Renji. "We had to take you to the 4th division and you wore that cast …" Rukia didn't finish her sentence and instead showed Ichigo a picture of a Chappy Renji with tattoos and red spiky hair with a cast on it's-

"Oh shit!" Ichigo slapped his hands over his eyes.

"Like I said." Renji pouted and squeezed his legs together. "She gets really angry at the littlest things so watch yourself. But then comes the worst stage." He cocked his head at Ichigo. "Actually, maybe it'll work out for you if you're into that."

Ichigo frowned. "What is it Renji?" He went over the letters in WASCHU to figure it out… "Wait a minute," Ichigo realized. "You're not spelling WASCHU! What kinda anagram has everything out of order?"

Renji shrugged while Rukia looked back through the pages to verify what Ichigo said. "Okay so it's really more like WSCAHU." Renji admitted.

"But WASCHU sounds better." Rukia defended.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "So what's left? The 'H' and the 'U'? Is that out of order too? Does it stand for 'duh, Rukia's wasted'?"

"No," Renji said plainly. "It stands for horny and unconscious."

Ichigo jerked. "W-w-hat?"

Rukia giggled at the picture she drew, but Renji held it down and shook his head at her before she could show it to Ichigo.

"Yeah." Renji looked back up to Ichigo with his mouth pulled in a slight smile. "She gets all cool, and sexy… and it's hard to believe that she's drunk at all except she's constantly trying to persuade you to take her to the nearest closet or something." Renji held his hands up as if the occurrence was commonplace.

Ichigo glared at the redhead. He didn't have any claim to what Rukia did in the past, but he didn't have to be rational about it and he was prepared to get plenty irrational.

Renji caught the glare, widened his eyes and then waved his hands in front of him. "No no no! I've never taken advantage of Horny Rukia." He looked away and mumbled, "I've always wanted to, but I'm not that kinda guy." Then louder, "I usually take Rukia home at the point before _that_ kind of guy shows up. Which works out, cause like I said, Unconscious Rukia comes next."

"Thanks." Ichigo snapped tersely. "I'll make sure to kill any idiot that gets too close."

"Oh no." Renji shook his head with a serious expression. "I'm not telling ya this to keep guys away from her. Well you should do that too, but I'm warning you for your own safety."

Ichigo looked from Renji to Rukia who was leering at him. "What are you talking about my safety for?"

Rukia started chuckling, but Renji ignored her, still looking serious and crossed his arms. "You know how stubborn Rukia is. When she wants something…she gets it…"

Ichigo's eyes widened again before Rukia slapped him across the head. "I'm not going to rape you, you idiot!"

"She's just…really persuasive." Renji supplied. "You were dancing with her earlier, you should know. That's why I said Inoue's drink must have switched her schedule around." He scratched his forehead under his bandana. "She's usually not so handsy so early on."

Rukia leapt onto Ichigo, pushing him on his back. "Well normally I don't have a guy grinding his-"

"I don't wanna know!" Renji screamed and scrambled off the bed.

"Rule number two Rukia!" Ichigo shouted and fought trying to push Rukia off him. She laughed madly at him and rolled off the bed completely, thumping to the floor.

Ichigo peered over her with a scowl on his face. "You're a lot of trouble you know. What's with you shinigami drinking so much?" He pulled Rukia up and stood with her.

Renji looked offended. "Hey, you try living through centuries worth of paper work and hollows and see how many times you hit the bottle."

Ichigo shook his head. "I'm just saying this is crazy. You're treating the whole WASCHU like some important mission."

Rukia laughed and jumped into a standing position on the bed with her arm in the air. "Mission protect Kuchiki Rukia's virginity!" She shouted as Ichigo pulled her legs out from under her, trying to keep her quiet.

Renji snickered despite himself. "I just thought it'd be fair to warn ya. She gets…well you know how stubborn she is. Sometimes it's hard to say no."

Ichigo quirked an eyebrow in warning. "But you have said no, right?"

Renji backed against the wall. "Of course! Yeah, I told ya already! I wouldn't do nothing like that! I'm a respectable kinda guy!" Then he dropped his arms and wiggled his weird eyebrows. "I don't exactly have to sneak my way to a girls pants if you get my drift."

"Or a guys." Rukia giggled.

Ichigo expected more pillow throwing but Renji just put on a cocky grin. "I can't help it if my appeal crosses the gender line. It's just not my personal preference."

Rukia jumped up and draped an arm around Renji's shoulders, hanging off of him. "You know Nii-sama's kinda pretty in a girly way. And that whole superior/subordinate thing is pretty kinky…" Rukia suggested.

Ichigo cringed, but Renji just scrunched his face. "I'll tell you what, when I get over that whole 'he's got a penis' thing, then I'll think about it."

Rukia nodded. "We'll be waiting for your call."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Is there any phase of Rukia's drinking that turns her into a pimp?"

Renji shrugged. "You never know." Then he frowned. "I don't know how we'd fit a 'P' into WASCHU though…"

Rukia grabbed her head. "No more math! Let's go back downstairs and dance. I like the way the music makes everything shaky."

"Yeah!" Renji cheered as he reached the door. "Let's get Ichigo as toasted as the rest of us!"

Rukia jumped in excitement before stumbling into her own closet. "Let's turn this Strawberry into a Daiquiri!" She called out from the floor.

Renji climbed down the stairs while Ichigo sighed and went to pick up Rukia. "So I'm guessing I should watch what I say because Angry Rukia's right around the corner right?" Ichigo mused as he lifted Rukia's light form up to a standing position.

"I'm actually feeling pretty relaxed right now." Rukia grinned at him. She leaned woozily forward and put a finger to her lips. "Don't tell Renji, but…" she paused and glanced around the empty room. "There isn't really an Angry Rukia." She whispered.

Ichigo leaned back a little, but kept his hands planted on Rukia's shoulders. She was rocking back and forth. "Oh really?" He asked slightly amused. He decided she did need a break, and she seemed to be having fun. It would have been at his expense if she was sober or not, so he let the drinking slide.

Rukia bit her bottom lip devilishly. "It's really more of a Sexually Frustrated Rukia."

Ichigo expanded the distance between them with a fearful glint in his eye. "C-come on Rukia." He forced a friendly grin. "I can't, uh…do anything like _that_ when you've been drinking and I'm…well relatively sober."

Rukia pushed off his arms and retrieved a flask from seemingly out of nowhere. "That's why you should get drunk too!" She pushed him onto the bed, forcing the silver container in his face.

Ichigo fumbled to escape and made it as far as the door before Rukia slammed it shut with her arm and trapped him within her petite form.

"Ru-Rukia! We can't—I can't—You don't wanna mess up WASCHU!" He shook his head frantically wondering how such a small person could be so intimidating. "I mean, WSFCHU don't make any funny word at all!"

Rukia lowered the flask from his face and widened her eyes even more if it were possible. "You mean you don't want me anymore?" she pouted.

"No!" Ichigo grabbed her arms. "Of course I want you! Remember last night? This morning?" Ichigo eyes hazed as he let the memories run through his head. He felt like an idiot pushing Rukia away now. Ichigo shook his head and cursed. "Damn morals…wait—hey!"

Rukia took advantage of his distraction and had pulled up his shirt to leave wet kisses along his abdominal muscles. Ichigo's mouth opened and he gulped a few times before slowly pushing her away. "N-n-no…can't do that."

Rukia looked up at him biting her lip. "Just a little more?" she asked gently.

Ichigo titled his head and struggled to form the word 'no'. But just then the door pushed open and he was saved from giving in and saying 'yes'.

He and Rukia stumbled forward and Renji rushed in, shutting the door behind him and panting. "You gotta lemme hide in here!" Renji panted.

Ichigo tried to push him out of the way and pulled at the doorknob. "No, you've gotta let me outta here! She's gonna rip my clothes off!"

Renji didn't budge from the door and only shook his head more forcefully. "Trust me Ichigo. You don't wanna go down there. We should just stay up here till they all pass out or something."

Ichigo backed away, but kept a good distance from Rukia. "What's going on? I don't think I can last much longer in here." He glanced over, and the raven-haired woman was sitting with her legs crossed on the bed, tapping her fingers impatiently. He couldn't help but notice how much of her thighs showed when she sat.

"Well I gave you fair warning!" Renji argued.

Ichigo snapped back to Renji's face. "Fair warning my ass! Why can't we go down there?!"

Renji closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "They uh…" he groaned and stuck his lower lip out. "I don't wanna say! I just wanna drink!"

Rukia pulled her flask back protectively and narrowed her eyes at Renji. He wasn't the one she wanted to get drunk.

"Just spit it out!" Ichigo boomed.

"Everyone saw the three of us run up here together and they think we're going at it, like we're all a couple!" Renji blurted.

"You mean a trio." Rukia corrected.

"Yeah thanks smarty pants!" Renji spat.

Ichigo was speechless and slipped to the floor next to Rukia's legs. She leaned over him with a smile, waving the shiny flask in his face. "Want some now?" she offered.

He did.

Ichigo grabbed it and swallowed all of the contents. He coughed and Rukia rubbed his back firmly. "That was Inoue's super fanna sui-sake sugar mix or something wasn't it?"

"Yeah…close enough." Rukia consoled him before bouncing to her feet and heading for the door. "You boys are too easy to manipulate."

Ichigo and Renji looked to each other nervously and took after Rukia who was traipsing down the stairs brightly.

"Wait, what are you doing?!" Renji called as he and Ichigo clamored behind her.

"You buys are so dramatic." Rukia answered vaguely.

When the three of them reached the bottom of the stairs and the rest of the party saw their arrival, a loud applause sounded over the music. Ichigo took a quick inventory of all the people he'd have to kill, while Renji grabbed a random bottle of alcohol and downed it. Rukia appeared unfazed.

Then she took something from her pocket and held out her arm. When Ichigo saw what it was, he sagged at his own idiocy.

FLASH

The bright light of a memory modify stupefied the crowd and Rukia put a hand to her mouth to shout. "I'm having such a great time at Kuchiki-san's party! It was definitely worth the 5 dollar-"

Ichigo nudged her.

"_10_ dollar cover charge I'm paying right now!" Rukia finished.

Ichigo could only watch in silent awe as one by one, partygoers approached Rukia, thanking her for throwing such a great party and paying her money for it.

The mere suggestion Rukia planted, spurned an array of false memories that worked to their benefit.

Rukia turned back to Ichigo, flipping the money in her hand and smiling as smugly as possible. Ichigo shook his head with a smirk until he realized she tricked him into drinking the whole flask of alcohol too.

He felt somewhat flighty, detached, and less obstinate than he usually felt. He was in the perfect condition to be taken advantage of…

Ichigo tried to put on his usual scowl, but for some reason his muscles were too relaxed and he could only manage a smirk.

"You conniving little…" Rukia pulled him down and kissed him before he could say anything else. Ichigo gave in and let the sugary taste of her mouth tickle his lips before he pushed his tongue in for more. He ignored the catcalls around them and focused instead on how much easier it was to kiss Rukia when she was a few inches taller.

Ichigo felt a poke on his back. He pulled away from Rukia and coughed as if nothing had happened. Renji smirked from behind him. "Don't let her get ya near a closet." He warned.

Rukia reached to smack him, but caught Keigo instead. "Hm.." she mused. "There goes my aim."

"It's official!" Tatsuki cried out getting their attention. "Who had today's date and time for Ichigo for the win?"

Rukia scowled a bit at being regarded to as a prize while Mizuiro pulled away from his girlfriends to bring out his laptop. Everyone gathered behind him to see how much they made or lost in the bet.

Orihime sniffed. "Oh…I guess I didn't win the pool." She pouted sadly until a drink was passed in front of her and she accepted it with a giddy smile.

Ishida put a hand on her back after buttoning up his shirt. "Damn. I was close too. We should have started the party an hour later."

Ichigo scratched his head. "Is that why it started so early?"

Mizuiro nodded from behind his screen. "Yes. A group of us arrived early hoping Abarai could get some well needed alone time with Kuchiki-san while you were out running around."

Ichigo found his frowning muscles. "I'm gonna-"

Ikkaku grabbed him before he could pound Mizuiro's pretty little face. "At least you got the girl Kurosaki! The only thing as fun as fighting is fucking!"

If Ichigo had been drinking anything, it would have been flowing from his nose by now.

Shuuhei, unfortunately, had been drinking. He spit a stream of alcohol at Yumichika, who was not pleased in the least.

"Hisagi! Damn it you Neanderthal!" Yumichika threw a tantrum before he shoved past the line to the bathroom to clean himself up.

Shuuhei ignored him and stared incredulously at Ikkaku. "How in the hell can you compare fighting and having sex?" he asked.

Ichigo felt extremely uncomfortable being stuck between the two as they had their conversation, no matter how much he drank earlier. Rukia took pleasure in his discomfort and just offered him more of what she was drinking.

Ikkaku continued. "I didn't say 'sex' you pussy, I said fucking."

"Whatever." Shuuhei rolled his eyes. "How do you compare fighting to either one?"

Renji groaned. "Oh man, I've heard this speech too many times."

"Does it come up a lot?" Matsumoto asked with amusement.

"That's what she said!" Ichigo blurted out.

Everyone laughed either at the joke or Ichigo himself for being so obviously inebriated. Ichigo just groaned. He looked down at Rukia. "I blame you." He mouthed…then giggled. He was loosing the battle for sobriety.

"Anyway…" Ikkaku ground out, annoyed that his story was interrupted. "Fighting and fucking are one and the same. It's hell on your body, takes a lot of control, some raw power, hurts like hell, and I always end up on top!"

"What the hell do you do in bed Ikkaku?!" Matsumoto cried out as she backed away from him.

He ignored her and put an arm around Ichigo who was absolutely mortified. Even Rukia had the modesty to look away awkwardly.

"Drinking, fighting, and fucking. That's what life's all about Kurosaki. You gotta live a little!"

Shuuhei laughed openly. "Is there a specific order to that mantra?" he grinned.

"Hell no!" Ikkaku shouted. "Order doesn't matter…but I supposed you'd wanna fight and then fuck and not the other way around. Don't wanna get caught off guard."

Ichigo bit back some bile. "Remind me to never battle you when you're drunk…"

Ikkaku leaned into his face. "What'd Yumichika tell you?!"

Everyone else tried not to laugh as Ichigo sweat bullets and stuttered. "Nothing…didn't hear a thing…"

"That's right nothing…Now if you'll excuse me," Ikkaku stepped away from Ichigo smoothed his head. "I'm about to get some action myself." He bragged.

Shuuhei frowned at him. "Who? Or more importantly, do they have any friends?"

Ikkaku grinned manically and pointed towards a girl across the room making eyes at him and holding up some car keys, indicating she was ready to go.

"Isn't that _Keigo's_ sister?" Ishida asked in horror.

Ikkaku nodded and slapped Ichigo hard on the back. "Hell yeah, and I'm about to go bankai her ass!" With that, Ikkaku crossed the room and smiled at the girl before making his way to the doorway. He paused and looked back. "Yumichika!" He hollered over the music. "Get your pansy ass over here! We're leaving!"

Yumichika stepped gracefully from the bathroom, looking shiny as ever. He glided by the group at the bar, bidding farewell. "You did a great job decorating Kuchiki-san! Great party! I'll see you all later." Then he walked out the door behind Ikkaku and Keigo's sister.

"Um…" Orihime spoke up in the awkward silence of the group. "Why did Ayasegawa-san go _with_ them?"

Ishida threw a look daring any of them to answer. No one took up the dare.

"Why don't we do some more dancing Orihime?" Ishida offered instead.

"Ayyy!" Orihime screamed gleefully and dove towards the center of the dancing with Ishida in tow.

"See, it's Ikkaku and Yumichika who are into that." Ichigo pointed at the rest of the group. "Not me! Not Rukia!" and he crossed his arms defiantly.

Renji jerked back. "Hey! Fuck you! What about me?! I'm not into that either!" he shifted towards Matsumoto and cocked his head. "Well…you know, not with two guys anyway…huh?" He rose his eyebrows and Matsumoto rose her fist.

"Pervert." Rukia chuckled before turning towards Tatsuki. "So who won the bet anyway."

The tomboy crossed her arms and pouted. "Chad! I was only a half hour off from winning."

Chad approached as they called his name with a smile on his face and Rukia's Chappy plush still in his hand. He handed over a wad of cash to Ichigo. "It's only fair." He said simply.

Ichigo smiled, but Tatsuki frowned. She cocked her eyebrow at Chad. "That's not all the winnings!"

The giant looked away quickly. "Well I wanted a new guitar too…" he mumbled. "And I'm getting a puppy…"

"Aww!" Rukia and Matsumoto swooned. While Tatsuki, Renji, and Ichigo shook their heads. Such a big strong guy was such a softy…

"Well…what kinda puppy?" Renji asked meekly. Tatsuki punched him. "Oh knock it off. Come on. You're dancing with me." She pulled on his sleeve and Renji let himself be led.

Matsumoto took a swig of a colorful cocktail before gasping. "Ahh. I'll join you!"

Shuuhei followed the breasts.

Ichigo shrugged as the others made their way to dance. "Wanna go join them to-" he was cut off and shoved into a dark cramped space before he realized Rukia had other ideas.

"-dance Rukia?" he finished before a pair of small hands grasped at his shoulders and pulled a small body hard against his chest. Ichigo slid a hand up Rukia's shirt and caressed her back before leaning down and kissing her eagerly.

He pulled away to breath for a second. "Do you have a thing for closets or something?" He could make out a grin in the darkness as Rukia ran her hands up and down his chest. "You must have given me a complex by keeping me in yours for so long." She teased before lifting the hem of his shirt like earlier and kissing his stomach.

Ichigo breathed in deeply and Rukia ran her tongue up and down his torso. Her breath was hot but her tongue was icy, and the mix of temperatures only proved more exciting to him.

Ichigo shuddered uncontrollably as Rukia's tongue ran over a hard nipple. It tickled when she flicked her tongue over it, but Ichigo felt himself pulse when she sucked down.

"Mmm…" Ichigo groaned biting his bottom lip. "Maybe we should stop."

But despite what he said, he let Rukia lift her hands and remove his shirt completely. Rukia stepped back and admired him in the dark. Her hands ran over the muscles in his shoulders, to his biceps, forearms, then across to his stomach and his hard six pack.

He'd earned most of those muscles fighting for her. Nothing makes a better workout than breaking someone from an execution block.

Rukia pulled him down with one hand behind his neck and the other still exploring his body in order to kiss him. Ichigo fought for control with his tongue, lapping and sucking at her own to force some kind of submission. But Rukia only pushed inside his mouth deeper and ran a hand up his inner thigh to shake his foundation.

Ichigo pulled away and gasped. The alcohol and Rukia's touch made him dizzy and more vulnerable than he had originally thought. "We can't do all this in a closet Rukia." He tried to argue.

Rukia only stepped closer and let her other hand trail his other thigh. "Well we were in my room but you said no." She pressed a hand against his arousal.

Ichigo moaned loudly. She'd never outright touched him there before. No one had. It felt better than he could have imagined. "Shit Rukia. You're totally taking advantage of me." He looked down in shock as Rukia got on her knees.

"You were warned…" She let a hot breath dance over his belly button as her fingers ran under his jeans waist line.

"No! You're cheating! We can't do this in the middle of a party! You're drunk, I'm drunk! We should wait!" Ichigo slid down the wall so Rukia would be face to face with him. And because he felt horrible and defeated objecting to something he wanted so badly.

Rukia put her hands on his strained face before straddling him. Ichigo groaned. This new position was hardly any better. "It's okay Ichigo." Rukia cooed as she sucked on his jaw, eliciting another moan. "We're supposed to make out in a closet. But you'll have to make more noise if someone's going to catch us."

With that odd remark, Ichigo regained some of his own balance and grabbed Rukia's arms, pulling her away. He scowled at her. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Rukia leaned to kiss him, but only hit the tip of his chin. "I just mean we have to be louder if we want someone to walk in on us."

"Why would we want that?!" Ichigo cried out in exasperation.

Rukia slumped and stopped trying to attack him with her mouth. "Well it's required for human parties. I did research on it."

Ichigo just stared back at her with his mouth hanging open. She rolled her eyes at him and pulled a folded list from her pocket. "I have to go through all of the human party requirements if I want to fully explain human gatherings during my H.L. meetings. Humans have a lot more rules than shinigami do in this area."

Ichigo let his head fall back against the closet wall. "There aren't any _requirements_ at parties Rukia." He lifted his head. "Let me see your list."

Rukia handed it over. And Ichigo strained to read it in the dark.

_Alcohol-check _

_Loud music-check_

_Dancing-check_

_Large amount of random freeloaders- check_

_Expensive item broken-check(note: buy new lamp)_

Someone throwing up-check 

_People caught in midst of throes in closet/room-unchecked _

_Fight (gang war optional)-check (note: apologize to Tatsuki for pulling her hair)_

_Long bathroom line-check_

_Surprising revelation-check_

_Large mess-unchecked_

_Cops barge in and/or annoying parental figure-unchecked_

"Rukia…" Ichigo slapped a hand to his forehead. "These are all party clichés. Shit that happens, but it's not required to happen!" Ichigo moved his hand and let his forehead fall against Rukia's.

"Oooh." She said.

Ichigo realized at that moment how drunk she really was.

"That makes sense now." Rukia commented. "It was really hard to plan for a few of those things to happen. I didn't know whether to call your father or the police in advance."

Ichigo knocked his skull against hers as he jerked up. "What?! You didn't call anyone did you?!"

Rukia blinked and pulled her lips in. "Well…I didn't know it wasn't required…"

"Which did you call?!" Ichigo's voice strained in question. He didn't know which would be worse. Jail or his father…it was a tough call…

Rukia rubbed her head where Ichigo knocked her accidentally. "Just the police. I know you wouldn't want your father to barge in here."

"How freaking considerate." Ichigo smacked his head in a groan.

Just then the sound of sirens spiraled through the air along with the thundering of people rushing out of the house. The music cut off along with crashes and curses from party guests.

Ichigo fumbled for his shirt before Rukia mumbled something. "Uh oh." She said clearly.

"What now Rukia?" Ichigo attempted to pull Rukia off of him, as she was still in the straddling position. "We've gotta get up."

Her head dipped and her body sagged. "I thhhink it'sss time fow Unconsciousss Wukia to come out and pway…" Rukia slurred before Ichigo felt dead weight fall against him.

Ichigo flipped her onto her back and shook lightly as he shouted. "Damn it Rukia! Don't you dare pass out now!"

Ichigo jerked around as blinding light crashed into the closet and two police officers opened the door to shine their flashlights on his shirtless body and Rukia's limp form underneath him.

Ichigo opened his mouth to explain. "…….…."

"Ah shit." One officer cursed first. "I really had my money on that tattooed guy. Girls always go for tattoos."

The second officer smiled as he shook his head. "Nah man, I told you, it's those uh…what do ya call 'em, emo types that get the girls these days." Then he nodded at Ichigo. "Thanks kid, you just made me 20 bucks. Now why don't you put on a shirt and get outta that closet. Someone might think you're trying to take advantage of that girl."

Ichigo just nodded dumbly.

He was thankful for the first time in his life that he lived in such a nosy town stock full of perverts.

* * *

_AN: See how much I love you readers and reviewers? I totally typed my little fingers off to finish the party chapter for you right away! And I didn't put in a cliffy in there either. I really wanted to though...You can see it right when the cops bust in. That would have been so awesome...But I held back for you! Hope you enjoyed!Thanks for reading/reviewing!_

_Slight Story Spoiler_

_Next chapter will probably be some major IchiRuki...maybe even a lemon. I'd like your opinion. Right now I'm thinking, the story's rated M already, I might as well put it to good use. But it could go either way._


	17. Messes

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. But I own a Death Note, so watch out...J/K, sorry, I just got done watching that series. Light's so hot and evil! Maniacal giggles!_

* * *

Chapter 17: Messes

* * *

For some reason, no matter how much Rukia drank, she never got a hangover. Though it was through no control of her own, she still took pride in that fact. Back in Soul Society, every morning after a night of drinking with the guys, Rukia made sure to gloat over Renji's sickly condition from outside the bathroom door. She'd condescendingly offer to hold back his hair, knowing his ego wouldn't allow her to see him so weak. So Rukia woke up feeling as dandy as a daisy after throwing such a wild housewarming party. Although…she was a little fuzzy as to how she got upstairs, tucked in nicely in her warm bed. The last thing she remembered was Ichigo…and a closet. 

Rukia winced as she remembered how she threw herself at Ichigo the night before. She rubbed her hands down her face and groaned. Though she didn't get a hangover, she did turn into a complete idiot when drunk. She loved her precious Chappy, but she didn't need to _be_ Chappy. Especially around the general public.

Rukia looked at her bed to see if Ichigo had spent the night and found herself disappointed by the empty space around her. It wasn't until she got up and stretched that she finally saw Ichigo slumped down awkwardly in a chair near the foot of her bed.

She couldn't help but smile at Ichigo's chivalry. Last night he wasn't exactly sober—she'd made sure of that—but he didn't do anything inappropriate when the opportunity was given to him. She walked over to him and shook her head at his position. He was going to be sore when he woke.

She considered the distance between the chair and her bed, and decided if she gave a strong tug, she'd be able to pull him on top of the mattress.

It was much easier in theory, but after a few good minutes of grunting and dragging the lanky teenager, she managed to pull him from the chair and fit him snuggling under her covers.

He hadn't shown any sign of waking up soon, so Rukia proceeded to get ready for the day and let him sleep in.

On her way to the shower Rukia realized she was still in the clothes she wore the night before. She smirked to herself thinking how Ichigo was probably too red in the face to undress her and change her clothes. She'd have to give him a hard time for it later.

Rukia dressed and stepped slowly downstairs, preparing for the mess that was waiting for her. With a tilt of her head, she decided it wasn't as bad as it could have been. The last time she went to a party with any of Renji's friends, there wasn't a house left to clean up after. Rukia counted her four intact walls and hole-less ceiling and deemed the party a complete success.

It seemed Ichigo had started some of the cleaning the night before, because there were several trash bags already filled. When Rukia entered the kitchen, it was in a good enough condition for her to make breakfast.

"Let's see…" Rukia stroked her bottom lip thoughtfully. Yuzu had taught her how to make a large array of meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. She was a very patient teacher, because Rukia was the first to admit she wasn't a very good cook. There was a reason why the servants at the Kuchiki estate didn't let her enter the kitchen, and that was without the aide of crazy real world appliances to blow up in her face.

Rukia remembered a pancake recipe that Yuzu mentioned was Ichigo's favorite. He was in for a world of hurt when he woke up, so the least she could do was make him a good breakfast.

Rukia hummed to herself, feeling oddly domestic as she made a complete breakfast for two and set it on a tray to carry back up to her room. She'd even managed to make coffee the way Ichigo liked. She cringed at the bitter taste he seemed to enjoy. She figured it was a tough manly thing Ichigo forced himself to go through every morning, because she knew how much he liked sweet things. Hence the chocolate chips that littered the pancakes.

Rukia smiled proudly at how much of a well-adjusted human she was becoming. And no matter how uncharacteristically sweet Ichigo was the night before, if he dared insult the breakfast she made him, she'd shove the whole tray down his throat in an instant.

Rukia trotted carefully up the stairs and found Ichigo sprawled on his stomach. She placed the tray down on her nightstand and saw a puddle of drool forming around his mouth and onto her sheets. "Don't drown in that fool…" she mumbled. "Or stain my sheets." She added as an afterthought. She spoke quietly, but Ichigo's eyes fluttered open anyway at the sound of her voice.

"R…Ru…kia?" Ichigo groaned out slowly.

Rukia met his groggy expression with a bright and possibly annoying smile. "Good morning to you Strawberry!"

Ichigo rolled onto his back and started to groan some more before suddenly stopping. He sniffed the air and glanced slowly at Rukia. "Do I smell pancakes?"

"Chocolate chip pancakes!" Rukia corrected proudly. She indicated for Ichigo to make room by poking him in the belly until he rolled over once more. She kneeled next to him and set the tray in front of her as Ichigo pushed himself up into a sitting position. Ichigo rubbed his eyes with the heel of his palm as Rukia handed him his coffee.

"Do you have a headache? Feel sick at all?" Rukia asked as Ichigo gently took the mug from her hands and blew air on the surface.

"Nah." His voice was hoarse from just waking up and Rukia felt her stomach flip at the gritty quality. "I think I'm good. I've had a few drinks before, just not something I do all the time, you know?"

Rukia nodded and watched Ichigo start to dig into his breakfast with a sleepy expression still on his face. It wasn't until the middle of his third pancake that he paused, with syrup dripping out of his mouth and made full eye contact with her.

"Rukia?" He asked, his voice much clearer. "Did…did you make all this?"

Rukia swallowed her last pancake and avoided making eye contact with Ichigo, she knew it annoyed him when she did so, before she answered. "You're so daft Ichigo. I'll bet you haven't even realized that you're in my bed."

She bet correctly. Ichigo's food fell from his mouth as he quickly surveyed the room and his whereabouts. "How did…? Wha…?" He looked to her for answers.

Rukia finished off her juice and took the empty tray from the bed before Ichigo knocked it over in his confusion. "You baka. I woke up before you and put you here. You looked stupid sleeping in such a small chair. My bed is big enough. You didn't have to act all noble."

Ichigo scowled at her before licking the tips of his fingers to get the last taste of pancakes off them. "I wasn't being noble, I was afraid you'd have your way with me in my sleep if I kept too close."

It was Rukia's turn to scowl and her cheeks puffed out in indignation and embarrassment.

Ichigo smirked at her. "Thanks a lot for breakfast Rukia. Did you really make it?"

"Of course I did." She huffed, still fuming quietly. "I don't have around the clock maid service. Most humans don't. So I've learned to make a delicious and satisfying meal when the need arises."

"It was really good." Ichigo admitted, cooling Rukia's anger considerably.

She looked at him from the corner of her eye. "You're welcome. I know it's your favorite." Rukia looked away before saying what she'd planned on saying all morning when he awoke. "I um…I just really wanted to thank you for being so patient with me last night. I wasn't myself and…I know you've never really seen that side of me before…."

Ichigo snorted in laughter. "Side? It was like a freaking decagon!" He smirked. "I never knew you had multiple personalities. Witty, Clumsy, Angry, Chappy, Silly," He snorted again. "It was like dealing with the seven dwarves."

"Is that a short joke?!" Rukia raised a fist to smack him. She knew she moved the tray too early. She should have shoved it down his throat before he insulted her.

Ichigo laughed as he grabbed her fist and rolled on top of her to keep her from attacking. "I didn't mean for it to be a short joke, but it works doesn't it?"

Rukia scowled and attempted to beat him with her fists, but he pressed too close for her to get the leverage she needed.

"It was no problem Rukia." Ichigo said much quieter, with all the mirth gone from his voice. "You don't have to go out of your way to thank me." His nose poked gently at hers as he spoke. Rukia forgot that she was irritated with him and tilted her head up to meet his lips.

He answered her steadily and pushed his sticky lips against hers. He tasted sweet from the syrup and chocolate, and Rukia wasn't sure if she was hungry or excited. His tongue dipped into her mouth and they teased each other with a mix of light caresses and forceful massaging. Rukia pulled his head down, pushing his mouth closer and her tongue deeper.

Ichigo's hands wandered to her thighs and pulled each leg up to wrap around his waist. Rukia lifted her hips for more contact and Ichigo groaned as she pushed against him. They broke their kiss panting, but Rukia wasn't satisfied. There was too much temptation from the night before to stop where they were at now. Rukia wanted more of him. She'd definitely waited long enough.

Ichigo moved his mouth to Rukia's cheek and then down to her neck. His kisses were wide open and wet, as he was still panting for breath. Rukia let her hands stray from Ichigo's soft ruffled hair down to his shoulders. She dug into the tense flesh with her fingertips, then followed the line of his muscles to his arms that were stroking her thigh firmly. Rukia rubbed along his forearms before slipping her hands between their bodies and running her fingers along his waistline.

Ichigo jerked his head back slightly with a gasp, and Rukia took over with the kissing. She ran her tongue along his jugular, sucking on his adam's apple, and biting gently in each spot she felt shiver beneath her.

Ichigo groaned loudly and bent enough to tug on her ear with his teeth. He was less gentle, and Rukia could _feel _that he was much more aroused than he had been before. She kept sucking on his neck, trembling, each time he groaned into her ear, but concentrated her mind on her fingers and untying the small knot on his pajama bottoms.

She finally pulled the string away, and the band loosened significantly. Rukia stuck both hands into the space she'd opened up between Ichigo's pelvis and his boxers.

He convulsed at the contact and before his head moved away from her ear, Rukia heard a barely restrained whimper.

"Rukia!" Ichigo gasped in surprise. Rukia felt strong arms push her down on the mattress as Ichigo pulled slightly away from her.

"Wh…What's wrong?" Rukia panted out. She was hoping he'd wanted her as much as she wanted him. She felt fearful for a second that she was being rejected.

But then Ichigo looked straight down at her. His eyes bearing into hers with such intensity, the soft chocolate shade looked almost as fiery as his hair. The desire was so obvious, there wasn't any room for rejection in his gaze.

"What is it?" Rukia asked again, feeling self assure once more.

Ichigo closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It seemed he was trying to collect himself. He let out a slow whoosh of air before meeting Rukia's gaze to answer. " I just…I… don't wanna get too carried away before uh…well…you know."

He was really struggling to form a complete sentence and Rukia could see a blush settling into his face from his neck and shoulders. She smirked at him gently, feeling amused that he could still blush around her, but quickly straightened her face before he thought she was mocking him in some way. He continued to explain himself…or at least attempt to.

"I don't wanna push you too far, you know?"

Rukia rose her eyebrows in surprise. He thought _he_ was taking advantage of _her_?

Ichigo misunderstood her expression and started stuttering again. "I'm not saying you're weak or anything! Like you couldn't stop me when you wanted to! Cause you could! I just don't want you to have to stop me, so.. I'm stopping myself…before I let you stop…me..?" Ichigo was quirking his eyebrows at his own confusion and ended his explanation as if it were a question. He wasn't sure of what he was saying at all, but Rukia finally understood and couldn't hold back a snort of laughter.

Ichigo's confused frown quickly hardened to a scowl as he still hovered over her face. "What the hell? Quit laughing at me damn it. I'm trying to protect your freaking honor or something. Don't laugh!"

Rukia held her laughter back, but not her amused grin. "Ichigo, does it look like I'm trying to stop you?"

"Uh…" Ichigo went back to being confused. "I guess not. But I'm just warn-"

"Does it look like I _want_ you to stop anytime soon?" Rukia cut in confidently. Ichigo's eyes widened and he visibly gulped. Rukia had to hold back another snort.

He lowered himself slightly to support his weight on his elbow while his other hand lifted as if to make a point. "Okay." He said slowly and obviously wanted to sort out the situation. "Let me get this straight. You're not only _not_ trying to stop me from…uh…whatever…But you actually…_want_ me to…keep…doing…stuff that could..uh…lead to…more stuff?"

Rukia closed her eyes and took a deep breath herself. She was fighting the urge to smack the idiot. He wasn't lying when he said she'd have to make her intentions obvious. But she surely wasn't sending any mixed signals now. Rukia took Ichigo's face in her hands and lowered him slowly, trying to recover some of the sensual atmosphere he had so rudely reduced to shreds as if it were a hollow on the rampage.

Rukia tenderly brushed her lips against Ichigo's, teasing him with barely there kisses, before lightly flicking her tongue inside his parted mouth. She smoothed her tongue patiently along the insides of his lips, cheeks, and tongue and pulled back in time to leave Ichigo wanting more.

Rukia licked her lips before meeting Ichigo's dazed stare. "I want as much as you're willing to give Ichigo." She paused as Ichigo's eyes got larger in realization. "Don't let me pressure you, but let me say that I won't tell you to stop." She smiled slightly and let her eyes fall away from Ichigo's in trepidation of what she was about to say. "My heart and my body are a package deal. The former is already in your possession, so the latter is yours whenever you ask." Rukia swallowed and met Ichigo's eyes again.

She'd laid it all out for him, she took down all her walls, she put herself in the most vulnerable position she'd ever been in.

If he said _anything_ that mocked her confession in any way, she'd- 

"I love you Rukia."

Rukia stared shocked at an equally dumbstruck Ichigo. He looked surprised that he found the courage to utter those impossibly significant, three little words, but he looked just as sincere in their meaning.

"I…I love you too...Ichigo." Rukia managed to whisper out.

They stared at each other for a few more moments longer. Each of them trying to wrap their minds around such a revelation. Rukia knew that she loved Ichigo, but she'd never actually admitted that to _herself_ and suddenly she was saying it…out loud…to…well, to Ichigo himself.

Rukia began to feel nervous at the length of the silence until Ichigo grinned broadly and dove forward towards her.

He kissed her excitedly, as though he'd discovered something new on her lips that he couldn't get enough of. Rukia could feel a smile on his face each time his mouth fell against hers feverishly. She could barely breath by the time Ichigo's mouth left hers to explore new territory. She couldn't help but laugh as Ichigo rained quick but thorough kisses all across her neck and under her ears.

He leaned off of her panting and smiling, not losing any of his enthusiasm as he grabbed for the bottom of her shirt and practically ripped it off of her.

Rukia gasped as he continued to shower her bare stomach hungrily and then put his hands into action by sliding them easily under her bra and throwing it over her head after her shirt. Rukia struggled for a deep breath as Ichigo wracked her body. His hands grasped at her firmly and Rukia wrapped her legs around his hips again in approval.

She panted before speaking. "Feeling more confident now are we?" Deciding no matter how dizzy Ichigo was making her, she'd always find time for banter.

Ichigo looked up from her chest with a wicked smirk. "Hell yeah." Keeping eye contact, he moved a hand down between her legs and under the skirt that had ridden up past her thighs. Rukia cried out when Ichigo touched her, and unconsciously moved into his hand even further. He pressed his fingers against her firmly through her underwear, making Rukia shudder, then made her cry out again as he lowered his mouth to a breast.

"Ichigo!" Rukia practically screamed. She couldn't hold onto him tight enough as he pushed his fingers against her and worked his tongue around her. Rukia moaned louder, her hips lifting of the mattress.

Ichigo dragged his mouth from her breast, up to her chest, collar, neck, and chin before sliding his tongue in her mouth. His hand stopped pawing into her underwear and retreated to her side, supporting his weight so he could lean over her again and push his own erection hard against her. They moaned together as their hips met the others, grinding as if there weren't any clothes between them.

Even though Ichigo wasn't inside her, Rukia was seeing white spots of light at the pleasure she was feeling and it took her several seconds to realize Ichigo had rolled off of her.

They laid together side by side panting, completely out of breath. Rukia turned her head slightly to see Ichigo's chest heaving and the bulge in his pants still prominent.

"Why are…_gasp_…you …_gasp_…stopping?" Rukia asked.

Ichigo rolled his head to the side to meet her gaze with smirk still on his face, but this one seemed a bit more calculated. "Just a little pay back for last night." Ichigo panted out himself.

Rukia frowned, afraid of what Ichigo was insinuating. "What do you mean?" She let out a bit more fear than she wanted to reveal, but the man had magic hands and she wasn't thinking straight. "I made you breakfast this morning!"

Ichigo shrugged as much as he could while laying down. "Breakfast was for outing us to our entire high school. This is for getting me ramped up in a closet and passing out when the cops busted in."

"That's not fair!" Rukia cried out childishly. Who knew Ichigo was a prude _and_ a tease.

Ichigo laughed lightly and rolled onto his side, taking a moment to take her in. Rukia scowled and covered herself.

"So I can touch but I can't look? I think you've got that phrase backwards Rukia."

Rukia grabbed one of the many pillows adorning her bed and proceeded to mash them against the Strawberry's head.

"I take it back. I hate you." Rukia said in between hits.

Ichigo laughed as he dodged an attack and grabbed her wrists, pulling her on top if him. "I hate you too midget." He said before kissing her again.

Rukia kissed him back but she was still pissed and frustrated. She didn't want just a kiss. She wanted more, and she knew he did too. He was just being a bastard, _figuratively _getting off on the power he had over her.

But Rukia wasn't about to back down. She changed tactics and sat back off of Ichigo with her chin in the air. "If you were too _scared_ to keep going you should have just told me. I'm very understanding after all, we could take things slowly if you can't handle me."

Ichigo didn't take the bait and only sniggered at her with his arms crossed smugly behind his head. "Kuchiki Rukia is trying to goad me into having sex with her. I think you should act your age and show a little restraint."

Rukia's jaw dropped aghast. The stupid strawberry actually got the best of her. The score book between them now read Rukia 178: Ichigo 12. She was still in the lead, but it hurt just the same.

Pretending she had no idea what he was talking about, Rukia grudgingly got up, but she couldn't hide the prominent pout on her face. "Get out of my bed and put on some clothes, you sloth." Rukia put on her bra and shirt in the most dignified way possible, then went to her dresser for a change of underwear. "Bastard…getting me all riled up…" she muttered as Ichigo whistled his way to her bathroom to shower with a satisfied smirk. "Thinks he owns the place." She said a little louder.

"Can you get me a change of clothes Rukia?" Ichigo called out as the roar of hot water sounded from the closed door.

Rukia fumed. He was purposely trying to piss her off, as if he were a masochist looking for some punishment. Rukia smirked as she picked out an outfit for Ichigo from her closet. "If that's the way he wants to play…" Rukia threatened quietly. She pushed open her bathroom door and plopped the pile of clothes on the counter. "There ya go Ichigo!" She declared over the shower noise.

"Holy crap Rukia!" Ichigo shouted from the shower. Rukia could make out a slight shadow through the fogged screen diving to cover itself. She rolled her eyes at his random fits of modesty. "I was just kidding!" Ichigo cried out.

"Oh I know!" Rukia chirped as she delicately flushed the toilet and strutted out of the room listening to Ichigo's shrill screams with a smile on her face.

Having successfully transferred her grumpy attitude to the frozen creamsicle in her bathroom, Rukia calmly trotted downstairs to start up the cleaning process. Eventually Ichigo joined her, silently calling a truce to their morning antics. Apparently, he did not appreciate cold showers.

"I started some of the clean up last night." Ichigo called out from the porch, choosing the task of separating garbage from what could be recycled. Rukia nodded in acknowledgement as she mussed over how to work her vacuum cleaner. After almost sucking up her living room curtains, they switched tasks and the clean up went by much smoother.

Rukia plopped on her couch with a sigh when they finished and Ichigo sat next to her. "I gotta say Rukia. I really thought that party would be a disaster."

Rukia turned to look at him and scowled as he put his feet up on her table and slouched back. "Oh?" She said before she swatted his legs away. "You really are melodramatic Ichigo. A disaster is having a captain betray Soul Society. A disaster is going to war. A disaster is having the Chappy show cancelled. You really need to relax if you think a party could be a disaster."

Ichigo rolled his eyes and shook his head at Rukia's definition of a disaster. "Well I can't help feeling that way. Trouble follows you wherever you go. And I," Ichigo paused as he motioned around the room. "I always have to clean up after you."

Rukia huffed. "I could say the exact same for you! The only reason I'm still in Karakura is because you can't take care of yourself or even properly contain your spiritual pressure."

Ichigo smirked at her. "Yeah right. You're here because _I_ take care of _you_." He put his feet back up on the table. "I think I spoil you Rukia."

Rukia growled and reached for a cushion to shove into his moronic mouth, but then Rukia remembered that morning. It seemed that their fighting often lead to…other things. And if Ichigo was going to continue holding out on her, she'd have to watch her usual impulses. So instead of hitting him, like she _really_ wanted to, Rukia stood up and brushed off her skirt.

"Thank you for your help Ichigo, but I have a lot of things to do today before the weekend's over." She smiled inwardly at Ichigo's surprised reaction.

"W-What kind of things?" Ichigo asked, taken aback. Rukia smirked. She knew what he wanted and he wasn't the only one who could play hard to get. So much for their truce.

Rukia moved towards her front door nonchalantly. "I have to finish up some lesson plans for my H.L. meetings; they're starting this week and I might put in some work on my zanpakuto. If I want to be a respected officer someday, I should work on achieving bankai soon."

Ichigo only frowned in response and Rukia opened up the door for him. "Well thanks a lot Ichigo. I suppose I'll see you at school tomorrow."

"Why can't I hang out here?" Ichigo asked stubbornly. He made no move for the door and actually seemed to sink into the couch further.

Rukia crossed her arms with her superior grin. "Shouldn't you go back to your family? You've been over here for almost two days straight. I'm sure your sisters miss you."

Ichigo shrugged. "Nah, I saw them yesterday on my way to Uraharas."

Rukia dropped her arms at the mention of Urahara. She'd been so busy with the party, and then so…out of commission, she'd forgot Ichigo went to see him. She closed the door and sat back on the couch next to Ichigo, immediately dropping the game they were playing. "What did Urahara say?" she asked in a low voice.

Ichigo's eyes softened and he shifted a little closer to Rukia. "He said basically the same thing you did. We shouldn't let the hollow's tentacles touch us. Then he said there's probably some overlord hollow or something controlling the minions that we've been dealing with. So the plan's to set up a trap to draw out the leader."

Rukia nodded solemnly. "We should do this while Shuuhei and the others are still here to help us out. There are still some pretty strong arrancar to deal with even though Aizen's gone."

Ichigo nudged her lightly. "Don't look so down. It's just a hollow. We can handle it"

Rukia nodded but kept her eyes on the floor. Something about the hollows they fought…Rukia had a feeling defeating the leader wouldn't be as easy as Ichigo was making it out to be. The reiatsu was strange…like a normal hollow's, but more…familiar… —WHAP!

Rukia began to hate how many pillows were in her house. That damn Yumichika…

"What the hell!" Rukia stomped to her feet after Ichigo clobbered her to a pillow. "What do you—Ah!"

Ichigo threw Rukia over his shoulder before she could give him the wailing he deserved. He moved purposefully towards the secret stairs to the underground basement. "You're in a funk over this hollow Rukia." He ignored her fists as he started carrying her down the stairs. "I'm already kinda insulted that you don't trust me to kick this guy's ass, but there's no way in hell I'm gonna let you mope around when you could do something about it."

Rukia bit down on his shoulder.

"Fuck!" Ichigo cried out as he almost dropped her. "Don't fucking bite me! We're on some stairs!"

"I can walk by myself!" Rukia yelled into his ear.

Ichigo squeezed her stomach into his shoulder to shut her up and gain some control. "You can't even get over some dumb ass hollow, I wasn't sure you had it in you to do some training." As soon as Ichigo set Rukia down in her 'Winter Wonderland' of a basement, Rukia kicked him square in the chest.

Ichigo fell to the ground with a thud, and before he could retaliate, Rukia sat on his chest and pinned him to the ground. "I'm not a pre-pubescent little brat like you are Ichigo! I don't get all gloomy for days on end! I was just thinking for a minute!"

"And I'm just trying to cheer you up!" Ichigo shouted back. He struggled to get free, but Rukia wrestled him so their legs and arms were entwined and he couldn't twist away. They panted and stared at each other for a few seconds before noticing their current position. Ichigo smiled timidly. "I guess I forgot there were other ways to cheer you up now."

Rukia rolled her eyes and was about to get up before Ichigo suddenly rolled them over, leaving him on top. Before she could react in anyway, Ichigo gently put his forehead to hers. Rukia closed her eyes and sighed. Both of their bodies relaxed and Ichigo pulled away to leave a kiss where his forehead had met hers. Rukia leaned into his kiss, quietly seeking more of them.

Ichigo seemed to understand and let his lips slide across her temple to place another kiss. Then he moved gently to her nose with another peck. Another wisp graced her cheek. He kept smoothing his lips across her face as lightly as he could, leaving small notes of his love and concern.

He ended with his lips on top of hers, but instead of kissing her, he whispered, "I love you. I'm going to take care of everything. I'm going to protect you. I don't want you to worry about anything anymore because I'm not going let anything happen to us. I swear it Rukia."

Rukia shuddered and felt that if the snow beneath them were real, it would have melted into a puddle by now. She forced his lips into a long, deep kiss, unable to put into words what she was feeling. All her life she'd never wanted anyone to pity her or take care of her, she always wanted to be strong even when she knew she was weak. But Ichigo gave her everything she needed without asking for it. He made all of her doubts go away, he let his own confidence merge with hers, Ichigo made her believe she was the person she'd always wanted to be. And he gave his heart to her.

Rukia pulled out of the kiss and pulled Ichigo's head towards her shoulder. He nuzzled into her neck and sighed. Rukia put her lips to his ear. "Make love to me Ichigo." She felt his breath catch against her neck before he let out a hot sigh of breath. He pulled away.

"I want to Rukia." He met her eyes with his mouth quirked in an apologetic smile. "I really want to and I wanted to this morning, but…I don't…" He groaned slightly and looked away. "I don't have the _necessary_ equipment right now."

Rukia pushed him away in surprise. She was positive Ichigo had the correct anatomy. If he felt self-conscious at all, he was an idiot. It wasn't as if Rukia had anything to compare him too.

"What are you talking about? I've see-…well I haven't seen it, but I've most certainly _felt_ that equipment."

Ichigo got up and pulled Rukia with him. "Not that equipment!" He moved his hand to rub his neck. "I mean…well…crap, I hate talking about this stuff."

Rukia rolled her eyes. All those sweet things he had said and promises he had made, the buffoon still couldn't talk about sex. Rukia went upstairs with Ichigo trailing after her. They were certainly not going to be training…but they probably wouldn't be doing anything else physical either…At least not until Rukia set some things straight with her prude of a lover.

Rukia pulled Ichigo into the living room and sat him on the couch. She stood in front of him with her arms crossed. "Now tell me Kurosaki. What's your problem?"

Ichigo pouted on the sofa like a grade-schooler in the principle's office. "It's not me," He started. And with one twitch of Rukia's eyebrow, he quickly sputtered out, "It's not you either! It's just that…well we're young…well I'm young and…I'm not ready to…well what I'm saying is that…"

Rukia interrupted, softening her features somewhat. "If you're not ready to take our physical relationship further, then that's fine. You just gave me the impression that you were."

Ichigo's eyes widened. "No! I am ready! I really want…that. I really want you." He sighed again and prepared to spit it out. "I'm just not ready to start a family yet and I…I don't have any condoms or anything..." He mumbled finally.

Rukia's jaw unhinged. "Birth control? You're avoiding having sex with me because of birth control?" Rukia cried out in disbelief.

Ichigo looked just as shocked. "How the hell do you know about condoms?! They have those in Soul Society?!" He crossed his arms and scowled at a wall. "And quit saying things so…bluntly…"

Rukia's hands turned to fists and they found their way to her hips. "No, Soul Society doesn't have condoms, but I've been a human teenager for awhile now, so of course I know about contraceptives. I'm upset because you should have just admitted that in the first place!" Rukia shook her head disdainfully. "You're 18 years old, you're friends with Keigo, and your father's a doctor! Any mature human prepares themselves for these kinds of situations or at least talks to their partner about it instead of being a cock tease!"

Ichigo jumped from the couch. "I am not a cock tease!" he shouted. "And I'm being responsible by holding out! I'm talking to you about it _now_, so quit complaining!" He shoved a finger in her face. "I don't see you doing anything about it little Miss Maturity!"

Rukia yanked his finger down and stood on her toes to yell in his face. "I'm already on birth control you imbecile!"

The look on Ichigo's face was priceless. Rukia couldn't tell if he was about to combust from rage, shock, fear, or even relief. But either way…she'd probably be cleaning chunks of Ichigo off her ceiling.

Very cautiously, Rukia put her hands on Ichigo's shoulders and lowered him gently to the sofa again. She sat next to him and pulled her hands slowly away. He was turning so red, she was irrationally afraid he would burn her.

"Where…" Ichigo pushed out. "Where…no…_Why_ are you on birth control? How long have you been on it? Cause we've only been…Have you…with anyone else...?" Ichigo's internal questions where slowly streaming from his mouth. Rukia wondered if he was aware he was asking them all.

Rukia decided it was best to simply answer without giving him too much of a hard time. She crossed her arms and sat back. "It's really nothing to get worked up over Ichigo. I merely started taking the pills because the rest of the girls at school were." She shrugged. "I thought they were candy and when I asked to try one, the girls took me to a clinic. It was easier to accept them than to argue with your fath-"

"YOU WENT TO MY FATHER FOR BIRTH CONTROL?!"

Rukia cringed, then smiled meekly. "I didn't know they were taking me to your father until we were already there."

All the red drained from Ichigo's face and he let his head fall into the cushion in front of him with a loud, long groan. Rukia tried not to laugh at his ass sticking up in the air while he threw his little tantrum.

She let him continue for a solid minute before slapping him on the head. He pulled his head up and glared at her. She blinked back at him. He was obviously missing the part about the situation that meant they could have safe sex. That was all Rukia was concerned with. She was also a little relieved that Ichigo had only been withholding because he was trying to be responsible. It had nothing to do with her.

"This is so embarrassing." Ichigo grumbled.

Rukia crossed her arms. "It's only embarrassing because you've been given the green light but you're stuck thinking about your father. How about my ego, eh Ichigo?"

"Ego?" Ichigo glared at her. "My dad probably thinks we're going at it like your fucking Chappy the rabbit! No wonder they all pulled to get us that bed!"

"Excuse me. That's _my_ bed." Rukia sniffed. "And who cares what they think? Your father already accepts the most perverse assumptions anyway. Nothing we do or say will sway what he's determined to believe to be true." Rukia looked at her watch to check the time. They'd spent most of the day cleaning and arguing. It was almost dinnertime.

_Shit._

Suddenly, she remembered something very important about tonight's dinner.

"Shit." Rukia and Ichigo said in unison. They turned to each other quickly. "Why are you cursing?" Rukia asked.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Why are you?"

"I asked first."

Ichigo sighed. "I haven't talked to my dad since I spent the night over here the first time. He's definitely going to think we're…Shit. I didn't even want people knowing we were together. Shit!" Ichigo grabbed his head with both hands in his hair. "My family doesn't know we're together yet! He's going to say the most embarrassing shit in front of my sisters, I just know it!"

Rukia darted her eyes…Ichigo didn't know the half of it.

He raked his fingers through his hair and sighed. "I'm just gonna avoid the old man as much as possible. You don't mind if I keep crashing here right?"

Rukia pursed her lips at his pleading eyes. "Um…actually, you're going to have a hard time avoiding your father because…well…he's supposed to be coming over for dinner with your sisters tonight…"

Ichigo's eyes bulged out. "No way! First this crazy ass party and now my crazier ass father! Are you trying to kill me?!"

Rukia stood up and kicked him in the knee. "The world doesn't revolve around you Kurosaki." Rukia glared. "I owed your family a dinner. Don't take it out on me that you're an impotent bastard who's obsessed with his reputation!"

"Did you just call me impotent?!" Ichigo yelled.

_Ding Dong_

"Shit."

* * *

_AN: Not a quick update this time. I had a little trouble with this chapter and my head. They were just not working together. Hope it works out though. No lemon either, sorry if I disappointed you! It just didn't fit into the story yet. Hope you enjoy it none the less! Thanks for sticking with me and if you're new, thanks for spending all that time reading my long ass story! I think I'm gonna try shortening the chapters. I don't wanna bore everyone. Thanks again!_


	18. Dinner

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or anything else that may be reconizable in this or any other chapter... Well, gee, I sure sound like a bum._

_Warning: This story is rated M for mature and...well, it's rated that way for a reason. I suggest skipping parts if you are uncomfortable with the descriptive content or peeking between your fingers as you read. That's what I do! (It's really not that bad, but maybe I'm just a dirty whore, who knows? I just don't wanna offend anyone, so don't say I didn't warn ya.)_

* * *

Chapter 18: Dinner

* * *

"Oh shit!" Ichigo yanked at his hair and ran around the living room frantically. He didn't want to have to deal with his family. His family meant questions, insinuations, innuendoes…well, his father meant those things anyway. 

He wanted time to get used to Rukia as his…He didn't even know what to call her! It was bad enough everyone at his school would know about their relationship by the time Monday came around, but Ichigo figured he could scare off the general population with a few hard glares. His family, on the other hand, had built up a tolerance to them.

"Okay." Ichigo breathed out and turned to Rukia, trying to formulate a strategy. "We've just gotta think of a sto-" He stopped when he noticed Rukia was heading straight for the door as if she had no trouble facing the wolves waiting on the other side.

"Don't answer it!" Ichigo shrilled as he grabbed Rukia's wrist and pulled her back. "We can just pretend we're not home." He bent down low as if he were hiding and attempted to pull Rukia down in the same manner.

She wasn't keen on his plan and tried to tug her hand away. "They can hear you yelling 'oh shit!' dumb ass! Of course I'm going to answer the door." She pulled again, but Ichigo held on tightly, preparing himself to plead with her if necessary.

"She's riiight!" a male voice sang from the front porch before Ichigo could beg on his knees. "We can hear everything! And son, if you have a problem _downstairs_, you can come to me, I am a doctor you know!"

"I'm not impotent!" Ichigo defended himself for the second time. He fumed at the popularity of the insult. He was 18 for fucks sake; who called a teenager impotent?

Rukia gave a sharp yank, almost pulling Ichigo's arm off, before she finally made it to the door and opened it calmly. Ichigo took a defensive stance, expecting his father to bombard him. But instead he saw his siblings and father, each carrying a stack of boxes.

"Finally!" Karin complained before letting herself through the door and dumping her boxes dangerously close to Ichigo's foot. "Ichigo's crap is so heavy! Couldn't Shakespeare write something in a paperback?"

"What the hell are you doing bringing my stuff here?" Ichigo questioned as his family started to fill up the entryway with boxes of his things.

"They're not more presents?" Rukia pouted in disappointment.

Isshin hurled a box at Ichigo's head. "We thought we'd save you a trip, now that you're living with Rukia!"

Ichigo caught the box and set it off to the side before yelling. "We're not living together-_Oof_!" His father rammed another box right into his gut.

Isshin stepped closer and put an arm around his son. "Well you haven't been coming home the last couple of nights and I remember what's it like to be a young boy on the verge of becoming a man." Ichigo shoved the box right back at his father, not inflicting the pain he was going for, but his grunt was slightly satisfying to hear.

"I warned you about calling the old fart before he got carried away." Karin commented as she threw herself over the back of Rukia's couch and picked up the remote to bring down Rukia's expansive flat screen.

Yuzu set down the boxes she had and turned to hug Rukia. "Your house looks amazing now that it's decorated Rukia! It's so pretty and white! If you ever need help cleaning up, just ask me and I'll come over in a jiffy."

Rukia returned the hug, but kept her eyes trained on the boxes scattered about her once organized living room. "Oh, thanks Yuzu, but you've really done enough for me already. Although… it would be helpful if sometime you could show me how to use that vacuum thing again…I had a little trouble with it this morning."

"We'll talk about cleaning later." Ichigo growled as he tried to take control of the situation. He grabbed the remote from Karin and turned off the television, motioning for his family to gather on the couch. "Right now, what the hell are you doing bringing my stuff here? Are you trying to kick me out goat-face?"

His father looked at him with mock innocence. "I'm just trying to adjust to my only son finally becoming an adult. I can't stop him from shacking up with the future mother of my grandchildren if that's what his heart and hormones desire."

Rukia audibly squeaked and Ichigo slapped his forehead. They were expecting this, but it was still annoying to hear.

Yuzu sniffed. "At first I was upset, but at least I'll get to help with your engagement party." She brightened. "Won't that be fun Rukia? We can cater it together!"

"This was coming eventually." Karin surprisingly spoke up in agreement. "You might as well go along for the ride."

Ichigo growled. "Why the hell are you letting them get carried away?"

Karin smirked under her baseball cap. "I get my own room out of this deal."

Ichigo held up a fist. "You selfish little brat of a bit-"

Rukia smacked it down and interjected. "Thank you so much for your concern." She addressed Isshin. "But I couldn't possibly take Ichigo away from you. You have the clinic to run and two teenage girls to take care of. Besides," she was speaking in that saccharine voice that made Ichigo's temple throb. "I have a lot of work to do and Ichigo's really more of a distraction than a help anyway."

Ichigo looked insulted, but his father looked impish. "Son, I should have told you that there's a time and place for getting intimate. You can't hang all over Rukia like a horny puppy."

"I'm going to turn on the oven!" Yuzu proclaimed loudly before leaving the room quickly. She didn't want her fondness for puppies to be tarnished by something her father said.

"I'll help!" Rukia and Karin shouted before hightailing from the room themselves. They knew an all out brawl was about to ensue.

"What the hell Dad?! Can't you see you drive your own kids away when you say shit like that!" Ichigo thundered, his hands balled into fists again. He was still pissed Rukia called him a hindrance and was about to take it out on his father.

Isshin frowned back. "Are you saying you're using our dearest Rukia just to avoid me? Are you toying with the beautiful girl's heart with your mere presence?" Isshin stood up from the couch, his own fists at his side.

"No damn it! I'm not using her!" Ichigo yelled. Because Rukia was perfectly aware he was avoiding his father…

"You can't just mount her and leave her son!" Isshin ignored Ichigo's protest and took out the always present Masaki poster from his pants. "Oh mother of my children! I'm so sorry I raised our son to be a philandering man-whore!"

"WHAT THE F-?!"

"Fresh fruit anyone?" Rukia popped through the arch and set a platter between the sobbing and raging, Kurosaki men.

"We should start video taping our dinners." Ichigo heard Karin suggest from the kitchen.

"I'll kill you old man!" Ichigo jumped at his father, pushing both of them over the couch. He successfully landed three punches before he felt steely fingers gripping a tender spot on his ear.

"Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow…" Ichigo complained as he was painstakingly pulled to up to his feet, but bent over at the waist.

"I will not accept this type of behavior in a living room I just cleaned!" Rukia scolded as she got a handle on the situation. "I haven't figured out how to use the steam feature on my vacuum to get out blood stains yet."

Isshin popped up with a grin and rubbed his jaw like it hadn't just been dislocated. "I see who wears the pants now. I always knew you'd like the dominat-ow-ow-ow-ow!"

Rukia grabbed Isshin by the ear and pulled both men down to her level. They were helplessly dragged away by a woman less than half their size.

Karin and Yuzu leaned out of the kitchen to watch the spectacle. "Seriously Yuzu. We need to invest in something so we can profit off these idiots and their death matches." Karin smiled at the imaginary figures her whacked up family would roll in. It would be embarrassing, but if it made her rich it was worth it. "We could post the first video on Youtube and wait until it's an internet sensation…"

Yuzu smiled with hearts in her eyes instead of dollar figures. "Rukia is going to make such a great addition to our family…well one day anyway." She added when Karin spared her a glance.

Rukia ignored the scheming sisters and focused on the buffoons between her fingers instead. She led them towards her basement and unceremoniously threw them down the flight of stairs. "You two can either cool off down there or kill each other for all a I care. I'll unlock this door when I've finished making dinner. Have at it morons." With that, she slammed the door and Ichigo hit the bottom landing face first, ass skyward.

Isshin managed to land via supermodel beach pose. "Well you heard the little lady. Let's just relax and let our women-"

Ichigo landed a foot under his dad's goat-y chin. "You bastard!" Ichigo hauled his dad to his feet and gave him the evil eye. "When the hell did you put Rukia on birth control?"

The jackass had the nerve to plaster on a lewd smile even after he spit out a tooth. "Oooohh…so you've been talking about that already?"

Ichigo grit his teeth and held back on committing patricide…for the moment…"What right did you have to stick your head in something so personal?!"

"You should know as well as anyone about doctor-patient confidentiality. Rukia asked and it was my duty as a practitioner to help her out."

Ichigo pulled back with narrowed eyes, mulling over his father's position…but not for long. "Yeah right you pervert! You're just being a nosy bastard as usual!"

Isshin shirked away. "I'm being honest! If I was really being nosy instead of being the responsible adult that I am, I would have replaced Rukia's pills with…I don't know, some kind of placebo that's readily available in the clinic that I happen to own."

Ichigo forgot to breath for a moment. He wouldn't….

"Although I do really want some grandchildren…"Isshin said thoughtfully.

"You son of a bitch!" Ichigo screeched and started chasing his father around the frozen pond in Rukia's basement.

Isshin seemed unperturbed, not to mention in great shape as he easily outran his teenage son. "I'm just joking with you my boy! You're so uptight." He paused and scratched his trademark stubble while Ichigo threw wild punches at him. "I would have thought Rukia would get you to relax a bit. Wear you out of your usual foul mood…Perhaps I underestimated your sex drive. I know Masaki and I-"

BAM 

Finally a connection to shut that loud trap up. Ichigo and Isshin continued to wail on each other until a perfectly timed punch from each Kurosaki, simultaneously knocked them both unconscious.

When Ichigo woke up his cheek was indented and his father was nowhere in sight. The basement door was finally open though, and Ichigo could smell the enticing scent of spicy sausage floating down to greet him. He grumbled as his gurgling stomach outweighed his urge to bury his father and he moped up the stairs.

"Finally woke up huh?" Isshin greeted him from the table that everyone else was already sitting at and waiting for his arrival. "I guess I need to start training you properly again. Rukia can't accept a weakling as a lover." Isshin dodged a sharp flying utensil and continued. "I absolutely forbid you to live with Rukia until you are thoroughly prepared to step up as alpha male."

Ichigo instinctually argued back. "I'll show you alpha male when I kick your ass!"

"Reverse psychology…" Karin murmured melodically so Ichigo could get the point.

"Dad!" Yuzu cried out. "No talk of…butts and…other things during dinner! Rukia did such a great job, please don't make Ichigo kill you before he's had a chance to try her cooking."

"I don't know Yuzu." Karin poked mistrustfully at her plate. "No offence Rukia. But I still remember the time you caught our breakfast cereal on fire."

Ichigo grimaced. His eyebrows were still a bit scorched from that day and his mind was nowhere closer to understanding how Rukia managed to serve flaming bowls of cornflakes.

Rukia glanced aside sheepishly as she set down an extra plate of food at the table next to Ichigo. "I don't know how I did that either…But Karin, I successfully made breakfast this morning and nothing caught on fire. My cooking skills have greatly improved thanks to Yuzu and my trusty fire extinguisher." She smiled and sat down at the head of the table.

Ichigo rubbed his hands in anticipation of the meal and agreed. "She made an awesome breakfast this morning."

"Breakfast in bed?" Isshin winked suggestively.

"Yeah right pervert." Ichigo was about to stuff his mouth to hide his blush, but Rukia smacked his hand away. "What?" Ichigo asked annoyed.

"Not all our dinner guests are here yet." Rukia glared at Ichigo's bad manners.

Ichigo realized the extra plate next to him wasn't _for_ him, and he frowned. "Who the hell else is coming?"

The doorbell rang and Rukia jumped up from her seat with a satisfied smirk on her face. Ichigo stood up after her to see none other than Renji sauntering through the door. "Yo!" Renji called out to the family and quickly took his seat at the table next to Ichigo.

Ichigo crossed his arms and huffed. "We were waiting for him? You know Rukia, you feed a stray once and he'll keep coming back for more."

Renji stopped drooling over his plate long enough to growl at Ichigo. "You calling me a dog Kurosaki?"

Rukia slapped her hands down on each of their shoulders and dug in her nails for emphasis before whispering menacingly, "Stop barking at each other before I neuter you both." Then to the family, she cheerfully declared. "Let's start dinner shall we?"

Ichigo and Renji shared a worried glance and an instant truce was made. Ichigo then dove into his plate inhaling the spicy dish that was one of his favorites. His eyes fluttered shut at the delicious taste swirling in his mouth. He could get used to Rukia cooking his meals for him, and Yuzu deserved some kind of medal for passing on her skills.

As if reading his thoughts…as usual…Rukia spoke up. "Don't expect me to host like this all the time." She rose her eyebrows as she addressed Ichigo and Renji more so than the rest of the Kurosaki's. "I just really wanted to thank everyone for helping me with my house."

Renji snorted, accidentally spitting chunks back on his plate. "And prove your food doesn't double as rat poison."

"That was only once!" Rukia snapped into a sausage meaningfully.

"Well this is amazing Rukia." Isshin's compliment put a smile on Rukia's face.

Karin nodded but her didn't stop her shoveling, apparently forgetting all about the cereal flambé incident.

"I think this is better than the sausage I make." Yuzu said kindly.

Rukia put a hand to her cheek daintily. "Oh no! You're all too kind to me! I'm just a humble working girl doing her best to survive."

Ichigo paused in his chewing to throw Rukia a look. "Your cooking's better than your acting, that's for sure."

"Would you like some more bread?" Rukia offered in a sweet voice that contradicted the way she forcefully crammed the roll down his throat. Ichigo choked while his family and Renji snickered.

"Oh I can see my first born is having some marital issues!" Isshin chirped. "Don't worry, the first year is always the most difficult for newlyweds."

Ichigo was still coughing up bread so he didn't get a chance to scream his objection. Surprisingly, Yuzu came to his defense. "Dad, they're not even married yet!"

Rukia and Renji spit up some juice, having chosen the wrong time to take a drink. And Ichigo finally swallowed the last hunk of bread that was cutting off air supply. "Whaddya mean _yet_?" Ichigo cried hoarsely.

"Just cause they're screwing doesn't mean they have to get hitched Yuzu." Karin said in between bites. "You're so old fashioned."

"Karin!" Rukia and Ichigo shouted in audacity. Yuzu clasped a hand over her mouth and Renji decided he was temporarily deaf. Isshin just smirked proudly at his daughter. The bastard encouraged this kind of talk.

"Who the hell have you been hanging out with?!" Ichigo ground out, placing two fists on the table. She wasn't even in high school yet, her soccer friends couldn't have been that bad of influence. If he found out it was Keigo…

Yuzu blinked at her twin and took a small bite with a knowing look. "Karin's been hanging out with some older boys lately."

"Shut up Yuzu!" Karin poked her sister gently and pulled her hat over her flushed face.

Isshin jumped up behind her with tears of joy. "My tomboyish daughter is finally on the verge of becoming a woman!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a string of-

Rukia gasped and Ichigo roared. "Holy hell Dad! Get those the fuck off the table!"

Isshin darted from Ichigo's reach and waved the line of condoms between his young daughters. "I was saving these for Rukia, that's why they're strawberry flavored, but I want to make sure my youngest daughters are being responsible!"

Yuzu and Karin squealed in horror and Ichigo tried to jump over the table. "They're fucking fourteen!" He yelled.

"Exactly!" Isshin countered. "I won't have them poking around in ignorance!"

"_Poking around?!_ You bastard!" Ichigo screeched as he dove again.

"I like strawberry." Renji said cluelessly.

Isshin nimbly ducked behind Rukia and put a hand on her head. "I think it's only fair Rukia, that since Yuzu taught you how to cook, you should teach my girls how to please a-"

"Enough!" Rukia bellowed. Everyone froze and whether that was literally or figuratively could be argued. Rukia's lips formed a thin line as she gave orders. "Ichigo, get off of my table and sit back down in your chair. Yuzu, don't tattle on your sister. Karin, hold your tongue and find better company to consort with. Isshin, give me _those_…and sit down as well. And no Renji, you may _not _try one, I don't care how much you like strawberries."

Everyone returned to their respective seats and wiped whatever tears that may have fallen, before turning meekly to Rukia. Her Byakuya-ish expression flipped into a smile. "Dessert anyone? It's chocolate cake!"

A collective "Ooh!" of anticipation cut the tension in the room. If there was ever a chocolate zanpakuto, the wielder could rule the world.

Rukia served the cake and the table talk turned towards Karin's latest soccer game. Ichigo, Rukia, and Renji were especially intrigued when Karin told them of the time _the_ Hitsugaya Toshiro, iciest captain of all Sereitei, who claimed to dislike candy and toys and anything remotely fun, actually _played_ with her team. Ichigo didn't know the prodigy captain could even spell the word play. And Renji didn't know what soccer was.

After another round of chocolate cake and Ichigo teasing Renji about chocolate being toxic to dogs, all thoughts of strawberry condoms were forgotten. Ichigo sat back picking his teeth and enjoying the atmosphere around him. Discreetly, he moved a hand under the table and sought Rukia's hand. He held her securely and rubbed slow circles with his thumb over her skin. She didn't turn to look at him, but her smile grew wider as she continued to talk with his sisters.

Ichigo almost fell into a content little nap before he jerked as someone banged on the table. "No Pineapple! You can't just throw the ball in the goalies face to knock him out! You can't throw the ball _unless_ you're the goalie!" Karin said heatedly.

"Well it still sounds like a pansy ass sport." Renji sniffed.

Wrong thing to say to Karin. "You're only saying that because you don't understand it even though I'm practically drawing it out for ya!" Karin yelled back.

"I could draw it out!" Rukia offered.

"No!" Ichigo and Isshin actually agreed on something.

"I think a challenge is in order!" Isshin stood up from the table and changed the subject, saving Ichigo some trouble. "I think a friendly game, showing Abarai how to play is what we need."

"But I just ate." Renji whined.

Karin smirked at him. "Oh is that the excuse you'll use when I wipe your ass all over the field?"

"Don't swear!" Yuzu scolded, even though she was being ignored completely between the two egos.

Renji, not one to back down from any challenge, even one by a little girl…jumped to his feet and pounded his chest. "Bring it on brat! I kicked your brother's ass, I might as well take on all the Kurosaki's!"

"Since when have you beaten me at anything?" Ichigo snorted.

"Shut up!" Renji yelled.

"Great comeback." Karin deadpanned.

"Why don't you all take this outside while I do the dishes." Rukia suggested, having no interest in getting dragged around in a game of soccer. "The downstairs or backyard would be perfect for your game."

"I'll help you clean up." Yuzu offered, also having no interest, but being less fortunate.

"No way." Karin grabbed her twin and father and stormed outside. "You're on my team and we'll take on goat face and the freeloader. That way, he can't complain about it being unfair."

"Quit calling me a freeloader!" Renji yelled as he followed the Kurosaki's outside and slammed the door behind him.

Ichigo spared a glance at Rukia. "Does that mean I'm stuck doing women's work with you?"

Rukia scowled. "If you want to call it _women's_ work, then yes; you're sure as hell stuck doing it now."

Ichigo rolled his eyes, but gathered the plates from dinner anyway. He really did walk into that one. In all honesty, he liked seeing Rukia act all domestic. It was such a polar image from the woman who was usually stiff with formality and fighting to prove herself. He really loved the way her two sides came together. He really loved her and it was the first alone time he had with her since his family arrived.

He stepped beside her in front of the sink where Rukia had already started soaking the dishes. "Why aren't you using the dishwasher?" Ichigo asked as Rukia handed him a dripping plate to dry and put away.

Rukia's eyes widened and her mouth formed an 'o'. "_Dish_washer? It's not an extra washing machine?"

Ichigo stared at her in bewilderment before he flipped open the dishwasher door.

"I thought the smaller washer was for smaller clothes. Yuzu said I should separate my delicates…" Rukia mused.

Ichigo slammed the door shut after seeing some Chappy panties smiling back at him. He looked shyly at Rukia. "I was _about_ to say you were doing a great job today. Why are you trying so hard to play homemaker of the year?"

Rukia frowned. "I just want them to know that not only can I take care of myself here, but I can even support guests. I don't need your father to have you baby sit me."

Ichigo snorted. As if his father had noble intentions. "I don't think he's trying to coddle you Rukia. He's more likely trying to get you laid." He muttered disdainfully.

Rukia laughed. "Oh well in that case…" She playfully bumped her hips against Ichigo's, and they shoved each other back and forth flirtatiously. A loud curse stole their attention away from each other and out the window. Renji had the implant of a soccer ball on his forehead and Isshin was running circles around him waving his arms in criticism.

Rukia sighed. "You have a great family Ichigo. I know your father drives you insane, but they're really fun and caring."

Ichigo appraised her seriously before moving behind her and placing his chin on her shoulder. "I know I have a great family." He put his lips to her temple and kissed her tenderly. "And now so do you." Ichigo took her hands and held them tightly in his as he wrapped his arms around her.

"When did you start getting all sappy?" Rukia tried to sound sardonic, but her blush belayed her feelings.

"Since I found out it was the best way to keep you from getting pissed at me." Ichigo teased before settling his mouth on her neck and pulling her skin gently in between his lips. His tongue flicked out to make her shiver. He could feel goosebumps rising all over her skin, and he felt it was his job to warm them all back down with his tongue. She stretched her neck away from him, giving him more skin to taste. He greedily accepted her offer ran his tongue all the way to a sensitive spot below her ear.

Rukia let out the slightest moan and Ichigo shuddered. He rolled his hips into her and sucked hard on a spot of her neck covered by hair. He'd leave a mark, but she could easily hide it.

"Stop it Ichigo." Rukia whispered slowly.

He smiled against her skin at her hesitancy. "What's wrong?"

"Your family's here." Then she turned to him with dark eyes. "Don't start something you can't finish."

His smile broadened. "Who said I wasn't going to finish?"

His hand dipped into her skirt going straight for a certain spot between her legs. He brought his other hand to her mouth quickly to cover up her loud moan. He touched her through her underwear, loving the reaction she was giving him. Her thighs squeezed around his hand and she was pulsing into his touch. Her hands started digging into his arm, not trying to pull it off, but desperate just to grab something.

He glanced out the window and saw his family and Renji still playing their soccer game. Normally he'd keep his emotions in check, but he didn't know how often he'd be able to spend the night with Rukia anymore and he wanted to leave her with something she'd remember.

He started biting her shoulder, nudging away the collar of her shirt, feeling confident they wouldn't get caught. He wanted more of her, he wanted more reactions from her. He pulled his mouth off of her hot skin to lean towards her face. He wanted to watch her get off. Boldly, his hand left her underwear and moved beneath the thin fabric. She was so warm and she only got hotter when he slowly slipped a finger inside of her.

Even with his hand over her mouth, she cried out. He pulled her face towards his and kissed her, silencing her moans with his own tongue. Honestly, it was all he could do not to cry out himself. She was wet and warm and addictive. He couldn't stop his finger from picking up it's pace inside her, he wished with everything he had it wasn't just his finger giving her this pleasure. He was jealous of his own hand.

Rukia was silently screaming, and Ichigo was fully supporting her shaking body as he curled his digit within her. When he added a second finger, she was done for.

Rukia's head snapped back against his shoulder and he felt her clench around his fingers. His groin felt as hot as Rukia did as he watched her work through her orgasm. He'd made her orgasm _He'd_ done it. He'd made Kuchiki Rukia lose all sense of control with a simple flick of his finger. He wanted to do it again.

But he couldn't. At that moment Renji's voice and Karin's laughter sounded out loudly. "Quit gloating! So what if I can't run with a stupid ball? You try running carrying a freaking two-ton snake skeleton, then we'll talk!"

"It's your own fault for going balls out when you didn't know what you were doing!" Karin shouted through her laughter.

"Don't say balls in that context." Ichigo heard Yuzu complain to no effect.

Ichigo pulled his hand from Rukia's skirt and held her up when her legs went limp. He turned her around. "You okay?"

Her mouth was open slightly, and her eyes totally unfocused. "Uhm mum tum hmm.." she let out incoherently. He grinned proudly. It wasn't often Rukia was at a loss for words unless she was fuming at him. This was a favorable chance of pace. Ichigo's ego could barely fit in the two story home. He smirked as he joined his family in the living room and watched Rukia amble dizzily up the stairs, murmuring a barely comprehensible thanks and farewell.

"What's with her?" Karin jerked a thumb at the other dark haired girl in confusion.

Ichigo shrugged and hid his grin with a casual scowl. "I think she's just tired from playing hostess two nights in a row. Not to mention all these freaking boxes cluttering the living room we spent all day cleaning."

Renji fumbled in his pocket. "Oh yeah. Rukia asked me to make a spare key for you. She figured it would save time to keep you from bitching about it later."

Ichigo nodded and took the key. It was a compromise. Rukia could have her independence while Ichigo could come and go as he pleased. He'd also have a welcome escape from his father if he needed it…

"So I _don't_ get my own room?" Karin grumbled.

"No way!" Isshin declared. "I was premature in thinking Ichigo was ready to accept the responsibilities of man of the house. I've spent so much time preparing him for battle, I forgot to teach him the ways of a lover."

"Yeah, I'm gonna go now." Renji said quickly. He opened the door just in time for Ichigo to throw his father out of the house.

Ichigo ushered his sisters out to gather up their broken father, then turned to Renji. "You drag a couple of boxes back into the car, and we'll give you a ride to Uraharas." He offered with a scowl.

Renji smirked. "I don't know, maybe I should keep Rukia company just one more night. I wanna try one of those strawberry things she took from your old man."

Renji didn't quite know what he was talking about, but that wasn't enough to keep Ichigo from beating him up for saying it. Ichigo twitched and abandoned his boxes to drag the red haired bastard out of the house and away from the general vicinity of Rukia and anything strawberry flavored. "See ya tomorrow Rukia." Ichigo called out before tossing Renji in the trunk of the family car as punishment for being a general pain in the ass. He drove home that night and made sure to hit every pothole the road offered.

Renji hobbled to Urahara's and the Kurosaki family let Isshin sleep off his Ichigo inflicted wounds in the backseat of the car. Ichigo said goodnight to his sisters and pleasantly saw they didn't completely pack up his room. He might as well leave his boxes at Rukia's house for convenience sake. He smiled as he thought of the better part of the dinner. Rukia's house already felt like a home. They'd only been together for a short while, but his feelings for Rukia had been deeper than mere friendship for so long. He felt like a real jackass for delaying his own happiness.

Ichigo laid down on his bed, tired and content, but he felt…awkward for some reason. His bed never seemed so uncomfortable before. It was too small to roll around in, maybe even a bit lumpy, and even with an extra blanket, Ichigo seemed to be missing a certain warmth in the night.

He shook his head and sighed. It only took two sleepovers at Rukia's for him to feel nostalgic for her presence. Maybe it wouldn't have been too weird living with Rukia…or maybe he was being clingy. Ichigo scowled and rolled over again. He didn't like problems he couldn't solve with a swing of his sword. He groaned and rolled onto his side. He was actually looking forward to Monday and school. How pathetic.

"Fuck. I'm totally whipped."

Ichigo finally gave in to sleep dreaming of the chance to do_ dishes _with Rukia again soon…

* * *

_AN: Another difficult chapter for me to write. I hope everyone still enjoys the story, I'm working extra hard to make sure I don't ruin it. So you got any critques, lay it on me. I can take it...sniff...I hope..._

_As usual, thank you to everyone who's been following me so far, and extra thanks to people who leave reviews. It's like getting instant gratification that's not porn. Who knew the internet offered more than that? Thanks a whole lot! I do respond to everyone who leaves a review and I'm happy some of you appreciate that! I like keeping a dialogue with readers. Keeps my head from floating into space. And I think it's only fair since you took the time to talk to me, I'm really grateful for any and all comments!_

_Oh, and I will be keeping the chapters longer because people seem to enjoy it. Thanks for the feedback!_


	19. Confidence

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. But let me know if it's ever on sale._

* * *

Chapter 19: Confidence

* * *

Rukia adjusted her collar and gave a final smoothing of her hair before quickly trotting down her stairs. She was already running late. Her first day of waking up…well, alone in her house to go off to school, and she was late. 

And of course it was all Ichigo's fault.

After spending years waking up in the Kurosaki household, Rukia had learned to use Ichigo and Isshin's morning assaults as an alarm clock. She wasn't prepared to start her day without first hearing a scream followed by a loud thump and/or a crash. It probably wasn't normal, but it seemed to work for her as much as coffee worked for regular humans.

It also didn't help that Rukia had a somewhat restless night of sleep. Her bed was just far too large. She discovered she could completely roll over a surprising total of seven times before falling off the edge. That was also Ichigo's fault.

Rukia huffed and grabbed a banana for an on-the-go breakfast. He'd strung her along the previous day and then left her alone after that…memorable farewell. How was she supposed to sleep soundly after that? She cursed herself for being so obviously affected by Ichigo. Rukia strictly had no time to…fantasize about that carrot topped tease. Not only did she have to go to work, but she also had her first H.L. lesson that day.

She was originally supposed to conduct weekly meetings, but the Captain Commander and the rest of the Gotei 13 decided it would be best to do a trial run. Rukia would be conducting daily lessons during the first week so each captain would have ample time to stop by.

Tonight she was to present a lesson in front of the Shinigami's Women's Association. Although, Rukia was sure her captain would make an appearance for her first lesson. She really needed to focus.

Rukia ran out of her house, remembering to lock it up before jumping her porch steps completely. "That stupid Ichigo." Rukia grumbled to herself. She'd have to run all the way to school if she wanted to make it to class on time.

Rukia jogged down her driveway towards the main road with her backpack jostling with each step. She could just picture Ichigo mocking her for being unable to wake up without his assistance. He really did have some ego. Rukia huffed and went into an all out run when she realized how much his ego probably grew after last night…and the…dishes…incident. Rukia clumsily tripped on air. "Damn that Kurosaki." She cursed and picked up speed.

It would have been easier to switch into her soul reaper form, she didn't have to worry about leaving a gigai behind after all, but her pride wouldn't let her. She was playing the part of a regular highschooler and she'd be damned if she had to cheat just to make it to her classes on time. She used to run this way all the time back in her academy days. The only real difference was that she was cursing an orange haired idiot, instead of a red haired one.

The five-minute warning bell rang out just as Rukia reached the school gate. She let out a sigh of relief and silently thanked Urahara for the gigai upgrade.

"Good morning Kuchiki-san." Rukia turned surprised to see Orihime step up beside her. Normally when Orihime greeted her, it was loud and merry enough to be heard a block away. But this morning her friend's tone was actually lackluster.

"Good morning Inoue. How are you doing today?" Rukia tried to sound positive in case something was wrong. Orihime definitely didn't look well. "Are you alright Inoue?" She asked with some rising concern when she noticed how pale and somewhat green her friend looked.

"Oh I'm fine." Orihime gave a small smile. Then she looked down at her feet as they walked together towards their classroom. "I think I had a little too much fun at your party…"

Rukia bit her tongue. If she were dealing with Ichigo or Renji, she'd jump at the opportunity to mock them. But Orihime was too kind a person to take advantage of. "Well everyone got a little crazy that night." Rukia said instead, and that certainly was the truth.

Orihime cleared her throat. "You didn't happen to find…uh…maybe…" she leaned closer to Rukia and whispered. "A pink lacy bra did you?"

_Flashback_

"_Rukia, you need to watch where you drop your laundry." _

_Rukia was standing on her kitchen counter cleaning a stain after her party. She didn't want to know what she was cleaning, or how it had gotten way up onto the ceiling. She looked down at Ichigo when she was done scrubbing. "My laundry?" She repeated confused._

_He was awkwardly holding something pink and lacy in his hand with a blush on his face. "Yeah your laundry. I found this…bra hanging around a doorknob of all places. You're lucky no one found it during the party." _

_Rukia hopped down and snatched the garment from his hands to hold it across her chest. "Ichigo…Does this even look like it might fit me?"_

_His face went even redder as he pulled something else behind his back. "So this black one isn't yours either is it?"_

Rukia's awkward pause made Orihime groan. "I'm so sorry Kuchiki-san! I've never had anything to drink before and I was so happy to see Rangiku-san again!" Rukia put a hand on her shoulder to console her.

"It's alright Inoue. I'm sure I have enough evidence to blackmail _everyone_ who went to my party. Your drink was a big hit!"

Rukia smiled as Orihime's head came up looking reassured. "Thanks Kuchiki-san! As embarrassed as I was about losing my clothes, I was thinking that if my drink was popular enough I could sell it and make enough money to replace all the undergarments I might lose when drinking it!"

Rukia laughed lightly as Orihime returned to her normal exuberant self. The girl really knew how to bounce back. She didn't stop talking about her new plans to become a bartender/undercover crime solver until they reached their classroom door and cheers blasted out as it opened. Rukia jerked in surprise as her classmates leapt forward to greet and praise her.

"Great party Kuchiki-san-"

"Best party ever-"

"You're looking hot-

"Freaking awesome-"

"Time of my life-"

"How'd you get MCR to be there-"

"Seriously, you look good today-"

"When's the next one-"

"I'm so jealous-"

"Can I get your number-"

"You dump Kurosaki yet-"

"OI!" Ichigo's voice drowned out the mob's rambling. Everyone, including Rukia turned to him. He was trying very hard to casually lean on his desk and ignore the commotion, but Rukia knew how fragile Ichigo's patience was. "Would all of you shut up? It's like none of you have been to a party before."

Rukia put on her mask of innocent ignorance and smiled bright enough to blind her fellow students. "Oh everyone, you're just flattering me! Thank you so much for coming and enjoying yourselves! I'm so happy you even bothered to show up for my little get together!"

Ichigo's eye was noticeably twitching.

Chizuro grasped Rukia's shoulders in a side hug. "I don't know how a brute like Kurosaki managed to rope in such a pure angel like yourself Rukia. If he ever mars your beautiful porcelain skin with those rough things he calls hands, you come running to me and I'll make all the pain go away."

Thoroughly disturbed, Rukia managed to smile and utter a small thanks…She glanced to Ichigo and saw him debating whether or not he could beat up a girl.

Tatsuki saved them both when she pulled the proud lesbian away. "What the hell Chizuro? Are you trying to molest every girl in the classroom?"

Chizuro crossed her arms and sulked. "It's just not fair that the loveliest ladies are taken…"

"I agree." Keigo stood by her side with a mirrored expression of gloom.

Rukia walked silently to her seat, ducking away from all of the attention she was receiving. She wanted her classmates to like her, not worship her. It seemed her memory modifier had worked too well. Rukia vaguely wondered if this was how Ukitake-taicho felt about Kiyone and Sentaro praising him.

Before Rukia could exchange any hellos to her actual friends, Ochi-sensei arrived to settle the class. "Wow, I'm surprised you kids can even find your seats after that wild soiree Kuchiki threw."

All eyes turned to Rukia again and she sunk into her seat slightly. For once in her long life, she thought herself too tall. Rukia glanced to the side and saw Ichigo toss her an, 'I told you so' look.

But their teacher wasn't done with the imaginary spotlight. "And let's also give a round of applause to the lovely new couple. I think we can all agree that 'finally' is the word we're looking for."

Well there went Ichigo's smug look. Rukia gave a weak jovial smile while Ichigo tried to scowl the class into oblivion.

Renji broke through the clapping and catcalls. "Can we start our lesson now? I'm ready to…uh…learn and shit."

Tatsuki snorted and Ochi-sensei laughed before waving him off. "Don't be a sore loser Abarai."

"I'm not a-"

"But you're right," Ochi-sensei ignored his protest. "Let's get on with the lesson."

Rukia sat between a scowling Ichigo and a scowling Renji for the rest of the class. Perhaps it was a bit sadistic, but their childish displeasure always lifted her spirits.

By the time lunch rolled around, her spirits were dampened slightly by her rumbling stomach. Everyone made their way to the roof as usual and brought out their lunches. Rukia sat next to Ichigo and blinked at the food Yuzu packed for him. "You're going to get fat if you eat that whole thing." Rukia said as she stared at his bowl of stir-fry. She looked up to see Ichigo smirking at her and then shovel a big bite into his mouth.

"Blow up your kitchen already?" He asked obnoxiously with a full mouth.

Rukia frowned at him before staring disappointingly at her banana.

Orihime saw her expression and leaned over. "Where's your lunch Kuchiki-san?"

Rukia winced at the prospect of Orihime sharing her lunch. She glanced at Ichigo and he selfishly tucked his bowl into his arm, offering no help whatsoever. "Oh…uh…I'm on a diet." Rukia lied and held up her banana.

The group collectively looked up from their lunches to stare at her. It really wasn't one of Rukia's best excuses…

"A diet? Why?" Orihime asked.

Rukia grinned inwardly before sighing dramatically at Orihime. "Well Ichigo said I was getting too pudgy."

"What?!" Ichigo spilled his lunch all over himself.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime gasped.

The rest of the group caught on and kept their laughter to themselves. Ichigo really should have known better than to mess with Rukia…especially a hungry Rukia.

"I didn't say that!" Ichigo protested while Rukia continued to look depressed and poked at her non-existent stomach flab.

Ishida shook his head at Ichigo with a straight face. "You really should be more kind to your girlfriend."

Tatsuki played along as well. "Really Ichigo, that's the worst thing a guy can say to a girl."

"Didn't ya learn anything from that little arrancar?" Renji snickered.

Ichigo's legs snapped together at that memory and then he glared at Rukia. "You bitch." He muttered.

"I'm sure Kurosaki-kun was just nervous." Orihime ignored what she decided was a term of endearment for the couple. "We should go on a double date!"

"Eh? Inoue?" Ishida dropped his smug expression.

"A double date?" Rukia asked as she grabbed the remainder of Ichigo's lunch while he was busy wiping stir-fry off his uniform and pouting.

"Yeah!" Orihime cheered. "We can go to that outdoor concert that's coming up!" She leaned towards Rukia and lowered her voice. "I'm sure that if Kurosaki-kun spent more time around Ishida-kun, he'd learn a few things about being a good boyfriend."

The Quincy laughed and Ichigo tried to punch him before yelling out, "I'm not learning anything from this jerk—Where'd my lunch go?" He groaned as Rukia slurped the last of his meal.

"Are you talking about the Karakura Musical Festival Inoue?" Chad asked slowly.

Orihime nodded. "Uh huh."

"Wait a minute." Keigo complained. "We were all supposed to go to that together! Not with dates!"

"I'm sure I can ask my youngest girlfriend to go with me." Mizuiro said simply. "We could make it a group date." Keigo's arm flails went completely unnoticed.

"Ichigo does have a lot to learn after all." Ishida remarked. "More than one couple would be beneficial." Orihime happily squeezed him with his subtle acceptance of her idea. Ichigo would have argued, but he was currently engaged in battle with Rukia for the last of his lunch and her banana.

"I'll be performing that night." Chad stated. "So you guys can do the couple thing without me."

"Well that works." Tatsuki leaned back and picked her teeth. "That way I'll just team up with Abarai and everyone will be paired when we go out."

Renji shrugged his approval but Keigo jumped up to his feet with indignation. "What about me?! I hate this!" Keigo yelled. "First you guys keep that shinigami stuff from me and now you're all splitting up into couples!"

He threw a tantrum before stabbing a finger at Rukia and Ichigo. They paused in their fight for the banana. "Not to mention you're all doing this wrong! We're supposed to be making a big deal about them getting together! We're supposed to pry into their lives! Ask embarrassing questions! We're not supposed to joke around like everything is normal!"

There was mass eye rolling, but Renji and Rukia were genuinely confused. "Are they supposed to fill out a consensual agreement or something?" Renji asked. Soul Society had some recent sexual harassment concerns…centering in the 8th division mostly…And new policies had been set up concerning fraternization.

A "No!" and a "Yes!" were simultaneously shouted in answer.

"No!" Ichigo spoke again after slamming Keigo's foot. "It's none of anybody's business."

Keigo hopped around whining, but he still pointed at Ichigo. "But, but, but— You two kissed at the party!"

Rukia blinked and Ichigo shrugged. "So?"

"So that means you're together!"

"So?"

Keigo fell to his hands and knees and put himself in Ichigo's face. "Well…so you _are_ together right? A couple? Off the market? An item? No longer bachelor-"

Ichigo slammed his hand into Keigo and pushed him away. "Right! So what's your freaking point?" he twitched as his patience wore thin. 

Keigo seemed equally distressed. "You can't just start dating someone and pretend like nothing's changed!"

Tatsuki threw her crumpled trash and knocked Keigo to the ground. "You're only making a big deal because you'll never get a girlfriend."

Keigo was defeated for the moment while everyone laughed at him and Tatsuki bragged about her throwing arm.

Rukia joined the group in their daily game of, 'Humiliate Keigo For Being a Pervert', until she saw Ichigo sulking to himself. She nudged him with her foot. "Stop pouting like a baby."

"You ate my lunch." He grumped.

"You tried to subject me to Inoue's cooking!" Rukia countered.

"At least I didn't make you out to be a bad guy in front of everyone! You knew they were gonna jump at the chance to mess with me."

Rukia rolled her eyes at him. "You act like you're the only one who ever gets teased. Think about what Keigo has to put up with."

Cue Keigo sobbing.

Ichigo frowned. "You're not exactly easing my mind when you're comparing me to Keigo."

Rukia frowned back. "Well would you rather be in Soul Society being teased by the 11th division? Or how about Nii-sama? I'm sure he'd have a few words to say."

Ichigo dropped his angry face for a worrisome one. "Are you threatening me with your brother if I don't stop pouting?" Ichigo asked.

"So you admit you're pouting immaturely?" Rukia smirked at Ichigo and he glared back, spurring a little staring contest between the two of them.

"Aww, they're so cute." Tatsuki deadpanned. Rukia looked away, but Ichigo continued to stare at her ear stubbornly. "I hate to interrupt the love-fest, but lunch is over."

"A double date." Orihime confirmed as they walked back to class. "Then in no time, you and Kurosaki-kun will be holding hands instead of shaking fists. Gazing dreamily instead of glaring daggers. Whispering sweet nothings instead of death thr-"

"We get it!" echoed down the stair well.

For the rest of the day, Rukia's mind wandered back towards her H. L. lesson instead of her studies. She wasn't fond of public speaking, but that was common in the living and shinigami world. She enjoyed talking down to Ichigo, but only because he gave her the best reactions. The captains of Soul Society weren't so easily provoked. Also, it wasn't her _intention_ to provoke any of her powerful superiors.

Rukia tapped her pen lazily on her notebook, completely unaware of her surroundings. In a few hours she would be speaking before each of the captains, she would be instructing each of the captains…she would… have a certain amount of authority above all the captains…

Rukia blinked a few times and pouted her lips. Perhaps it was stretching reality a little bit, but Rukia reasoned that teachers were in charge of their students, so technically she would be in charge of her classroom and every shinigami in attendance.

"Oi." A paper football hit Rukia square in the forehead, snapping her out of her power trip.

She rubbed the area as if it would bruise and glared at Ichigo. Who else would throw something at her? "What was that for?" Rukia asked with a slight whine in her voice.

Ichigo gave her a funny look. "You zoned out for the whole class period and then some. I thought you'd gone catatonic. I'm not gonna be the one to drag your ass home." He muttered as he returned to writing on some papers in front of him.

Rukia looked around and realized the class was abandoned and they were the only occupants. It was already time for their college prep hour, so naturally, most of the students went home.

Rukia gazed at Ichigo curiously once she got her bearings. "Are you concentrating or constipated?" She asked with her arms crossed. "I can't really tell the difference."

Ichigo's scowl lifted from his writing to Rukia. "You really piss me off, you know that?"

She smiled back. "That's my job. Shinigami, student, teacher aide, and personal pusher of Kurosaki Ichigo's buttons."

Rukia pulled her chair up next to him and leaned over his paper. "What are you doing by the way?"

Ichigo elbowed her out of the way and went back to writing. "I'm trying to catch up on college shit."

"Finally using the prep hour?"

He glanced at her. "Yeah. Not all of us are overachievers like you. I kinda procrastinated."

"Maybe you're just an underachiever." Rukia teased. Then she leaned back and crossed one leg over the other. "Well there's still plenty of time. I talked to some advisors earlier and they said adjustments could be made months out from now."

"I'm not worried." His eyes flicked unconsciously to her legs. "Not everyone freaks out like you do."

"I don't freak out."

"You take things too seriously."

Rukia forced a clipped laugh. It was true, but she didn't want to admit it. "_You_ think I take things too seriously? At least I can handle the tasks I'm given without pouting."

Ichigo sighed and set down his pen. "Do you have a reason for still being here?"

Rukia shrugged. "I was just wondering what you were doing."

"Well it feels like you're hovering."

"Do you want me to leave?"

"I want to you stop hovering."

Rukia rolled her eyes and laid her chin down on the edge of his desk with her arms holding onto her knees. She was too short to hover. Ichigo was obviously tense and taking it out on her. Rukia's eyes twinkled and she scooted closer. Mischievously, her hand left her knee and settled onto Ichigo's.

Her hand squeezed. His writing stopped.

"What the hell are you doing?" Ichigo murmured as he took a quick scan of the empty classroom.

"Well I'm certainly not hovering." She answered with a smirk.

They faced off for a bit, before Ichigo decided to ignore her and get back to his writing. Rukia grinned and pushed her hand further up his thigh. His muscles tensed under her fingers and Rukia roamed a little bit more. She pushed her fingers firmly against his pants and dug in slightly for more affect. Ichigo's eyes glared holes into his paper and his pen moved in random jerks. She could see he wasn't writing anything at all, but only pretending to be.

Rukia crept her hand further along teasingly, exploring all the way from his pockets to an area close, but not _too_ close to his zipper. When she neared the waist of his uniform, and snaked a finger under the band, Ichigo started to bite his bottom lip and his eyes fluttered shut.

Suddenly Rukia slapped his leg and used it to push herself up. "I'll let you get back to work then."

"Rukia!" Ichigo almost collapsed in his seat.

"I shouldn't distract you from your studies." Rukia grinned smugly. "I have my first H.L. meeting today, perhaps I'll see you afterwards."

Rukia heard a few bangs from Ichigo's head repeatedly hitting the desk as she pranced away to get a decent meal before her shift at the kindergarten started.

As usual, Rukia's few hours with her students went well. There was a slight mishap when one of the boys accidentally wandered into the girls' bathroom, but a few quick steps of shunpo saved Rukia from a very awkward conversation with parents. She even had the chance to use her students as guinea pigs for her upcoming lessons. _They_ didn't seem to mind her drawings…

When Rukia got home Renji was sitting on her doorstep. She let him in with a sigh and went straight for the refrigerator.

"I'm assuming you're here to support my first H. L. lesson right?" Rukia asked the red head currently burying his face in her bowl of noodles. "Has nothing to do with the fact that I let you eat like a glutinous cow."

"Of course I'm being supportive!"

_Burp_

"Heh…s'cuse me." Renji smiled sheepishly and accepted the towel Rukia offered him. "I stopped by with something that might help ya out too." Renji's smile broadened as he followed Rukia into her office.

It wasn't overly spacious like her bedroom, but it was overly organized. Rukia had set up her workstation directly across from her wall mounted communication monitor, so cleanliness was a must. There was also a whiteboard on wheels that Rukia could angle in front of her desk if the need arose to write out explanations or highlights.

"What is it?" Rukia asked as she gave the room another once-over…perhaps her _fifth _once-over.

Renji sat himself in her office chair and whirled himself in circles as he spoke. "Well, Miss Human Liaisons Commanding Officer…" he started.

Rukia sighed. "That's got such a nice ring to it."

Renji wiggled his eyebrows. "Not as nice a ring as lieutenant." He sang.

Rukia didn't catch his tone and waved her hand at him. "Yeah, yeah. Show off."

"Oh no," Renji stopped spinning. "I mean for you!"

Rukia glanced at him before focusing her reiatsu and changing into the shinigami form she wanted to present in. "What are you talking about? I'm nowhere near the strength of a lieutenant."

"Uh…yeah you are." Renji snorted and stood up to walk over to her. "You were on the front lines during the Winter War. Don't sell yourself short…"

…

"Real creative pun." Rukia muttered.

"Well it was on accident…" Renji leaned on her desk and crossed his arms. "Anyway, everyone knows you're more than capable, and I've been hearing some rumors…"

Rukia looked at him seriously for the first time. "You have? What kind of rumors?"

Noticing he got her attention, Renji played coy. "Oh well…you know…just whispers here and there..."

Rukia yanked on his ponytail and pulled him down to her level. "Out with it Abarai! I've got things to do!"

"Ow!" Renji whimpered. "Hair pulling is cheating!"

Rukia gave another sharp tug. "That's funny, because you're the one who taught me how!" She let him go to finish what he was going to say in the first place.

Renji scowled at her and moved to see his reflection in a nearby wall mirror. Fixing his hair, he finally got to the point. "Anyway…you little brat…the rumors are that this position is basically just a stepping stone for you towards a promotion to lieutenant." He grinned cheekily at her. "Like yours truly." He returned to face the mirror. "I heard Ukitake is just letting you get used to the authority of this position before he puts in the final paperwork."

Rukia couldn't close her mouth. "Uh-Are you sure? I'm not near-"

"Oh don't even say it." Renji rounded on her and stared down at her. "I came to tell you that so you'd have a little more confidence in this meeting that you're obviously worried about. Everyone already respects you and the only one who doubts your abilities is your dumb ass yourself. I heard Ukitake's always had you in mind to be the next lieutenant of his division and he was just waiting for you to gain some confidence and for Kuchiki-taicho to let up on his objections."

Rukia could only stare back and blink. She wanted to argue with everything Renji said and convince him that he was only hearing some farfetched rumors, but the fiercely honest look he gave her…He was unwavering and firmly believed in what he said like it was common knowledge.

He even looked a little proud of her.

Rukia tried to find some words. "Ren..Renji…"

"Oh shut up." He thumped his big hand on her head and ruffled her hair until her whole body shook. "I think hanging around Ichigo so much's made ya into a pussy. Don't get all-ooh!"

Rukia planted a fist in Renji's abdomen. She had to look presentable and he was messing her up! "I'll save arguing with you for later." Rukia declared with the beginnings of a smirk. "Thanks for coming over Renji."

He rubbed his stomach but grinned at her anyway. "Yeah, I'm much more useful that Strawberry of yours. Maybe you should be thinking about that instead."

"Get out Abarai!" Rukia playfully pushed Renji out of her office. She had a meeting to conduct.

The screen flashed on and Rukia stood formally in front of it. The first voice she heard was the excited lieutenant of the 11th division.

"Order! Order!" Yachiru yelled. "As the President of the Shinigami Women's Association, I have a special treat for everyone! And before you ask, no, it's not the special swimsuit edition of the annual Captain's Calendar."

The women around the table groaned in disappointment and Yachiru nodded sadly. "We still haven't managed to corner little Captain Grumpy-Pants."

"I'm working on that!" Matsumoto shouted determined.

"But," Yachiru continued. "Today we have Noodle-taicho's little sister, Shorty-chan, and she's gonna tell us about the living world! So everyone listen up and be nice to her because Kenny says Shorty-chan's the only girl who can kick Berry's ass so we should stay on her good side."

Rukia could only blink at her introduction. "Err…right…thank you…um…Madam President..."

Rukia gazed at the faces in front of her. Renji was right. They were all looking at her with respect and giving her their full attention. Rukia focused and decided this was just another acting gig. At school she fooled people into thinking she was demure and innocent, and now all she had to do was fool people into thinking she was confident and in control.

Rukia smirked on the inside and smiled gently on the outside. She could do this. She could stand before them and…was that her brother?

"Nii-sama?" Rukia broke her stature and outright gaped him. "What are you doing at the Women's Association meeting?"

Kuchiki Byakuya opened his mouth to answer but Yachiru bounced in front of him instead. "Oh Noodle-head's always here when you're gone Shorty!"

The slow nod from the rest of the women confirmed it, including some twitching by Vice President Ise Nanao. But Yachiru kept speaking as she swung back and forth on Byakuya's ridiculously expensive heirloom scarf. "Noodle says he likes to keep an eye on his subordinates when they're away, but Kenny says Noodle comes here because he doesn't have a di-"

A large lolly was promptly shoved into the pink haired lieutenant's mouth by none other than Kuchiki-taicho himself. He kept his stoic expression as he regarded Rukia and ignored the child sucking happily next to him. "Please continue with your lesson Rukia. Ukitake-taicho asked me to relay today's lesson for him in his absence."

Rukia nodded slowly and was about to continue when Matsumoto shouted out, "You go girl! I love the way you've organized your office! Is that a Chappy mirror I see?"

Sure they respected her, but that didn't mean it would be easy.

Rukia stood up straight and put on the mask of confidence she'd gotten good at wearing. "Lieutenant Matsumoto, thank you, and yes…that's Chappy…but please refrain from getting sidetracked. We have a limited amount of time and a lot to discuss. Our first lesson may seem trivial, but after spending many years in the human realm, I've learned that it's the little mistakes that have the largest ramifications."

It was here that Rukia began her lecture on the 'Do's and Don'ts' of human world attire and her staple piece was a blown up photo of Renji in his bell-bottoms.

She almost felt a little guilty showing it after he'd been the one to help her right before her meeting started…but if she could forgive him for trying to kill her, then surely he'd forgive her for this. Too bad Byakuya had to see it though…

Rukia bowed at the end of her lecture and was pleased to receive a standing ovation and a lot more questions than she had time to answer. Everyone marveled at how much of a human expert she was and how useful the information would be. Even Unohana-taicho spoke to Rukia and asked about the living world's modern hairstyles, as she was thinking about updating her look.

Before the monitor clicked off, Rukia saw her brother nod towards her with what she could swear was a hint of a smile on his lips.

Rukia calmly walked out of her office and shut the door behind her.

"KYAA!!!" she jumped up with a little too much force and hit the ceiling, forgetting she was in her true form. But Rukia had too much adrenaline coursing through her to recognize the lump that was forming on her head.

She'd been more than successful, she'd…Rukia struggled to think of the word Ichigo used… "I rocked!" Rukia pumped her fist.

She was actually looking forward to her next meeting. Her body buzzed, she was wide awake, she felt confident, cocky even, she felt assertive and in control, she felt hor-…Where was Ichigo…?

* * *

_AN: Here's the next chapter! Hope you all enjoy! You've probably noticed I switch out captain, taicho, and lieutenant and stuff pretty freely. That's only because I like the way some names sound with the taicho added on. I really don't know anything about proper usage except what I've seen from the anime subtitles or the manga. So forgive me if I'm doing something wrong. Thanks a lot for reading! Next chapter should be...fun...lol._


	20. Lessons

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. But man, I could really use the money. Ichigo? Spot me $6000? Yeah, didn't think so._

* * *

Chapter 20: Lessons

* * *

It was Friday night of what Ichigo could honestly say was his best week ever, and he was topping it off with a special trip to Rukia's house. He'd just bought his new ride a few hours ago for a really decent price, and it was hell on his facial muscles trying to keep his trademark scowl in place. On the inside he was grinning like a goofy kid and screaming 'whheeee!' at the top of his lungs. 

Riding his motorcycle was better than any kind of near flying he did in shinigami form. There was something about the deafening growls of the engine, the constant vibration of metal, and the ever-present chance of losing control and skidding into a painful, gritty death…

It was so badass!

Ichigo wasn't sure if Rukia even knew what a motorcycle was exactly, but he couldn't wait to get her on it. He was eager to find out if she would kick him in the groin for making her ride a speeding death trap with nothing but him to hold onto, or if she would beg to sit in front and test the limits of his speedometer. He was really hoping for the latter. Or perhaps a kick to the shin if it was the former. He could deal with that.

But judging from the mood Rukia had been in all week…the odds were definitely stacked in Ichigo's favor.

It started Tuesday morning… 

_Ichigo stretched out his tall frame against Rukia's locker before class started. He hadn't had the chance to stop by and watch Rukia in action during her first shinigami meeting, and he figured she'd be pissed that he didn't stop by to 'support her'. He was expecting her to lay into him right off the bat, so he might as well wait in the hall and meet her head on._

_He saw a short raven head stride confidently through the crowd of students and recognized her right away. "Oi Rukia." Ichigo greeted._

_She smirked at him and there was a certain glint in her eyes that Ichigo took as a sign for trouble._

_He groaned inwardly, but decided to play dumb. "So…how'd your shini-Oi!" Rukia grabbed him roughly by the collar and hauled him into a utility closet before he could get his sentence out._

_She shut the door behind them and pushed him backward against the wall. Ichigo clumsily wheeled back and stuck his foot in a soapy mop bucket before hitting the side of the closet. He grunted before putting his hands up defensively in front of him. "I'm sorry I missed your meeting okay! Fuck! Don't just-" _

_Rukia's hands intertwined with his and she pulled herself close to him, still smirking. "Do I look angry to you?"_

_Ichigo lifted an eyebrow. She was probably trying to lull him into a false sense of security. "You look fucking scary to me. What's the hell's wrong with you? Trying to drag me away from people who could identify my killer?"_

_His caustic tone didn't faze Rukia one bit as she pulled his arms around her, and forced his head down into the most provocative and tantalizing kiss of his life._

_She seemed to suck away his sanity as she pulled his tongue into her mouth and groaned around it. Ichigo fell into the kiss completely and lost himself to Rukia for what seemed like a blissful eternity. When the gears in his brain started functioning again, he was pinned to the floor with Rukia on top of him and his hands under her skirt around the back of her thighs. Ichigo wondered for a hazy moment if he'd actually passed out._

_Rukia finally pulled away and gave him the alluring smirk he'd confused for being innocent albeit mischievous. "I just wanted to catch you and say good morning." Rukia said._

"_Good morning." Ichigo barely choked out._

She might as well have said good week, because Rukia had been greeting him that way every morning…and afternoon…and the occasional night…since she started her shinigami lessons. She'd caught him off guard in the stairwell, in the locker room, on the roof, and somehow, in the teacher's lounge….And that was just at school. He'd never seen Rukia apply her shinigami stealth training in quite that manner…

Ichigo was determined to find out what exactly happened at her H.L. meetings that put her in such an agreeable disposition, and then bottle whatever made them so effective. He made it his goal to catch her during a lecture.Unfortunately, his father had been forcing him to work extra hours in the clinic, so the closest Ichigo got to seeing Rukia teach was catching her at the end of her dinner one night. Of course…he wouldn't classify that as waste of time…

_Wednesday night_

"_Hello Ichigo." Rukia said as she wiped her face with a napkin. "Sorry, but you just missed dinner."_

_Ichigo sat a little disappointed at her kitchen table and reached for an extra plate of whatever she made. He pulled his hand back just in time to miss the fork attempting to impale him. He glared at Rukia who was calmly cleaning up the table. "What the hell Rukia?" he started._

_Rukia rolled her eyes at him. "Oh don't complain. I know you ate with your family. Yuzu's lasagna is still on your shirt. I just can't afford to feed you and Renji all the time." She stated logically._

_Ichigo frowned down at his shirt and pulled at the red stain. "Damn." He pulled his shirt up to suck at the lasagna—he didn't want to waste it—but Rukia interrupted from the kitchen._

"_Since you're here Ichigo, you could help me with a few chores."_

_Ichigo was still straining to get at his shirt. Maybe that wasn't a stain from tonight's dinner… "Sure Rukia." He called out absentmindedly. "Need help working the vacuum again? You can't keep buying new curtains." _

_She leaned out from the kitchen to get his attention. "Actually, I was hoping you could help me with the dishes…" Ichigo's eyes and Rukia's smirk grew. "I was thinking we'd __**switch**__ this time…I'll dry, you wash..."_

"Oh shit." Ichigo frowned as he parked his bike in Rukia's driveway. He'd forgotten to bring over more dish soap. Rukia had run out of it by the end of the week…Ichigo decided though, that they wouldn't need it. They were well past needing to use chores as an excuse to get closer. Things had been gradually escalating and it was one of their silent but mutual agreements between them that tonight, Friday, would be _the night_.

His father had been called out of town to see a patient and Ichigo's sisters opted to spend the night at a friends. Apparently they didn't trust his babysitting capabilities.

But Ichigo wasn't taking offence. He was spending the whole weekend at Rukia's and he was too nervous and too excited to feel anything else. And because his father was gone, Ichigo had been able to arrive in time to watch Rukia give her lesson.

He fumbled with his keys slightly nervously and let himself into Rukia's house. He could hear noises of a session coming from her office.

The doorway to her office was ajar and Ichigo leaned against the doorframe to listen in, but stayed out of the way not wanting to gain Rukia's attention. He could see Rukia standing in front of the monitor and hear part of the discussion. He clearly heard Ikkaku's voice.

"So yer telling us that those clerks don't make all the food themselves? They get other people to make it in bulk and then they sell it? Those lazy lying bastards! I knew that bitch didn't make all that shit herself."

"Shut up Baldy!"

"Ah! Fuck! Get it off my head!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes and mentally pictured a chunk of Ikkaku's head marred by teeth imprints.

"No one cares about that yucky stuff!" Yachiru's voice chirped out. "Tell us about the candy again Lil' Smarty! And send me another one of those red cow drinks! It really did give me wings!"

"NO!" Ichigo heard the 11th division cry out in consensus before Yumichika spoke up as well.

"No, no. No more talk of sweets. They rot your teeth. I want to know more about that Hollywood place!"

Ichigo swore sparkles were glittering throughout the room.

"I can't believe they have a whole city just for beautiful people like me! Ikkaku, maybe they'll have some day-passes that you can use to visit me."

Ichigo's eyebrows quirked and he wondered how Rukia could be handling herself so well with all those stupid questions.

Rukia didn't seemed fazed at all by their requests. She was standing easily in front of her desk with her arms loosely crossed. "I'm pleased to see how enthusiastic you all are, but if you don't restrain yourselves I won't be able to explain what humans call _video games_."

The voices from the monitor "oohed and awwed" before Rukia continued.

"These are for entertainment purposes, but I went ahead and sent one for you to experience in your free time. I really think your squad especially will get a kick out of it."

Ichigo had to clap a hand over his mouth when the whole 11th squad, including Zaraki himself, thanked Rukia in the same manner as her kindergarten class did. "Thank you Kuchiki-sensei!" they chorused.

At first Ichigo didn't understand why Rukia would find these meetings as anything other than a bother. In fact, he already felt a headache coming on. But Rukia was standing there proudly and calmly delegating homework to her fellow shinigami—Then Ichigo realized. Rukia always had the upper hand over him, he never questioned anything she did or said…unless it was annoying him…but in Soul Society, Rukia was at the bottom of the food chain.

No one quite respected Rukia as they should in Soul Society. They put up with her, they gave her assignments, but she was always under the pressure of some higher-ups thumb. She got it from the Kuchiki clan, from her brother, from her fellow officers who didn't understand her background…

No wonder Rukia was flaunting her power now. She was finally able to be her bossy, bitchy, know-it-all self without having to feel sorry about it. Ichigo couldn't hold back his snort of laughter any longer. Soul Society was getting the Rukia he had to put up with everyday. Served them right for not giving her an outlet before now.

Rukia turned at his outburst and gave him a feral grin. He matched it with one of his own. He wasn't one of her students, he was going to give her a challenge now that he understood the cause of her domineering attitude. Not that he didn't exactly mind her manhandling him…but turnabout was fair play.

Ichigo didn't wait for Rukia to greet him and marched over as soon as he saw the bright screen go dark. He pushed her back into the desk and hauled her up onto the surface, draping her legs around his waist. His shirt blurred past his vision before he aggressively dove onto her mouth.

She was fighting him, but not fighting him away from her. Her tongue was scorching the inside of his mouth and straining against his own, but Ichigo wasn't giving up. He pushed a hand inside her robes and grasped onto her back, scratching a certain spot at the base of her spine that made Rukia spasm uncontrollable.

She gasped out and arched her body towards him. "Ah! You bastard!"

"You love it." Ichigo growled at his small victory and took her moment of pleasured distraction to climb on top of her and the desk, forcing her body down with his hips.

Rukia pushed back against him and raked her nails along his bare back and up into his hair, the scratching as painful as it was soothing. He trembled and tried not to bite down too hard on her lip. She knew his spots as well as he knew hers. They'd had a lot of practice during the week.

Ichigo pulled at the shoulder of her robe with his teeth, his hands were too busy trying to keep her restrained. Rukia had the devil's hands. If they were loose…he was done for. They'd already managed to unbutton him and pull off his belt, and Ichigo was wearing one of his baggier pairs of jeans.

Rukia noticed and squeezed her legs tightly to his hips in order to drag them down. "Fuck you're resourceful." Ichigo groaned as she angled herself up enough to tickle his jaw with her tongue. Then she rolled her hips underneath him just the way he liked it. He pushed his head into her chest to muffle a moan. "Don't you get enough of being in charge with your students?" He said when he'd recovered somewhat.

Rukia grinned and continued to writhe hypnotically, "I like the challenge your stubborn ass provides." Ichigo bit his lip and pulled his hips far away enough to get a hand between them. He pushed down between Rukia's legs to stop her rhythm and gain some control. She threw her head back and moaned loudly, giving Ichigo the chance to run his hand across Rukia's thigh and maneuvered himself so he could lift it over his shoulder.

This time he ground into her and Rukia was shivering madly beneath him. He put his face as close to her as he could and panted deeply, "Well tonight I win. We're doing it my way."

He could feel Rukia still trying to fight back. She gasped in a deep breath and wrapped an arm around his neck, digging her nails in for another strike. "And…what's… your way?" she whispered hoarsely.

He rubbed his cheek against hers and breathed in her ear. "I'll tell you tomorrow morning if you last the night."

Rukia shuddered and stopped fighting against him. Her muscles stopped straining and her body melted into each of his touches, completely giving in to him.

Ichigo thanked whoever was watching because if she'd resisted him after that, she would have won hands down. And Ichigo really wanted to be on top for his first time. Figures Rukia would make him work for that honor.

Ichigo let up slightly and concentrated on leaving Rukia a kiss that would last her until they made it to her bedroom. It was much more gentle and less forceful than what they'd been doing on her desk, but it was just as passionate, if not more so.

Ichigo pulled back and closed his eyes as he rested his forehead on Rukia's. "Let's go to your room—"

"KUCHIKI RUKIA!"

"AHHHHHHH!!" Ichigo and Rukia screamed like little girls and flipped over the back of the desk.

Ichigo was hoping with every single piece of his soul that he _did not_ just hear Kuchiki Byakuya catching them right before…Nooooo…

Rukia and Ichigo peeked over the desk, their noses rising no further than an inch above the wood before Rukia squeaked out, "N-n-n-ii-s-s-sama?"

And there he was. Dead center of the wall sized flat screen monitor was the Kuchiki Byakuya, infamous Captain of the 6th squad.

Normally, if Ichigo could use one word to define the most powerful head of the Kuchiki clan, it would have been composed…closely followed by the word prick…But through the monitor he looked anything but composed. The only world that came to mind was-

"Scatter. Senbons-"

"Kuchiki-taicho!" Renji appeared and valiantly tried to subdue his captain. "They're in the human realm! You're just gonna break the communicator if you release your zanpakuto. Why don't you calm down a bit and then-"

Byakuya rounded on Renji with killing intent choking the very air. "Did you know about this?" he asked with icy venom.

"Gotta go!" A red blur streaking out the door was all that could be seen of the 6th division Lieutenant.

To Ichigo's dread, Byakuya turned towards the monitor again and made direct eye contact with him. "Do. Not. Move."

And then the screen went black.

"Oh I'm dead." Ichigo stated in a low voice.

"Yeah." Rukia agreed in the exact same tone.

He turned to her with wide eyes and a quivering lower lip. "Should we hide?"

Rukia was pouting frighteningly herself. "He found us in Hueco Mundo. Do you think there's anyplace we _could_ hide?"

Ichigo gulped futilely and stood up on shaky legs. They'd be pretty useless to run on it seemed. As soon as they found and fixed their respective wardrobe, the house shook and an immeasurable amount of spirit force that made Ichigo's knees buckle. Rukia actually fell into her office chair.

"I hope that's Aizen come back to life as a zombie." Ichigo mumbled.

Unfortunately the voice that answered wasn't from one the undead walking the earth…well technically anyway. "Kurosaki Ichigo. Step out."

Ichigo bit his tongue from reminding Byakuya that he was just told to stay put a few minutes ago, but he wasn't trying to speed up his death.

It was the worst possible way for Byakuya to find out about him and Rukia. If Byakuya had caught them in the middle of what they were planning to do, at least Ichigo could die with a smile on his face.

Strategies were running through Ichigo's head. He figured he had two choices. He could cower beneath Byakuya's royal feet and beg to keep his head…both of them…Or he could suck it up, puff out his chest, and act as if it were his right to debauch the asshole's younger sister. He probably wouldn't use those exact words though…

Ichigo gulped and took Rukia's hand in his own. The only option they didn't have was hiding. Ichigo had been caught with his pants down…literally…and it was better to meet the man face to face because keeping him waiting wouldn't improve the situation.

"M-maybe I should do the talking." Rukia suggested in a whisper. "I think if I put on a sad face I'll look more like Hisana and he'll think twice about maiming us."

"I don't think he'll be any less pissed if it looked like I was about to bang his wife rather than his sister."

"Bang me?"

"Oh don't start this now."

"Kurosaki. Rukia."

Somehow their traitorous feet had already carried them outside in front of their executioner.

He was standing in front of them, almost twitching with the urge to kill. And as far as Ichigo knew, Kuchiki Byakuya wasn't capable of twitching. His thumb was pressing into the hilt of his zanpakuto, just begging to whip it out. Surprisingly, his voice was flat and calm as usual. "I took some time getting here to think things over."

Ichigo mused that Byakuya must have taken about 20 seconds to decide whether to take his right or left nut before choosing to take both.

"I've come to the conclusion that this is my own fault." Byakuya stated.

Ichigo's mouth didn't open, but his eyes bulged just about as wide.

Rukia found her words first. "Nii-sama?" she asked confused.

Byakuya clarified. "I should have had the foresight to see that this would happen and it is my own fault for not delaying it until I was fully prepared to deal with the consequences."

"Byakuya," Ichigo started out of habit, but stopped with the narrowing eyes and twitching thumb of one Kuchiki and the arm-numbing hand squeeze from the other. "I mean er…Kuchiki-taicho." Ichigo gulped. He wanted to sound sure and strong, but he didn't know how to convey his feelings without sounding like the corniest jerk in the world. He'd either die of embarrassment, or die of disembowelment. Not the best choices, but he had to make a decision.

Damn Rukia. He was so fucking whipped.

Ichigo formed his resolve and firmly met the elder's gaze. Speaking boldly and forcefully he declared, "I love your sister and she puts up with me. As long as I make her happy, we're going to be together and do as we please no matter what objections you might have. I kicked your ass before and I'll do it again if I have to."

Awkward Pause of the Year goes to… 

"Are you suicidal?!" Rukia screamed at his side. And suddenly five shinigami appeared in front of the couple facing Byakuya with their zanpakuto's ready.

Ichigo yelled in shock. "What the-?!"

"Don't kill them Kuchiki-taicho!" Renji shouted out.

"They can't help that they're fucking stupid." Ikkaku added.

"They're just young and in love!" Matsumoto cooed.

"I'm sure your beautiful entrance just distracted them." Yumichika explained.

"Think of the paper work!" Shuuhei yelled.

"Enough." Byakuya bellowed sternly. "As insolent as that substitute is, I am not going to tarnish my blade with his blood." His voice returned to it's cool but deadly tone. "And it would surely take more than the five of you to stop me if that were my decision."

"Well that's why we brought Taicho!" Matsumoto declared as two captains suddenly stood next to Byakuya.

"Matsumoto…" Hitsugaya Toshiro's voice grumbled out in it's usual annoyance and Zaraki Kenpachi laughed next to him.

"Sorry Kuchiki. I can't let anyone kill Ichigo until I've had _my fun_ with him."

Yachiru popped up like a parrot. "Hiya Berry-head! Hiya Lil' Smarty!"

Ichigo had never been one for fainting, but he was certainly feeling the urge right now, especially after Rukia spoke up.

"Would anyone like to come in for some tea?"

And just like that, Ichigo was sitting on Rukia's couch with the 6th division captain to his left and the 11th division captain on his right, all three of them holding a cup of tea.

Shuuhei, Renji, Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Matsumoto were fanned out on the floor with their own cups…though Ichigo suspected they weren't filled with tea…And Hitsugaya was scowling from an armchair.

"This really doesn't have anything to do with anyone besides my sister and Kurosaki." Byakuya droned out with a hint of annoyance.

"I'm just making sure you don't kill the brat before I can." Kenpachi said.

"And we're making sure capn' doesn't kill him anyway." Yumichika added helpfully.

Ikkaku grinned. "I kinda wanna see some blood shed after all that-"

Matsumoto slapped his bald head to shut him up and Ichigo suddenly felt a little violated…

"Then I really have no reason to be here." Hitsugaya moved to get up, but Ichigo cried out.

"No no! Stay Toshiro!" Ichigo felt the young captain was the only one with a level head and he definitely needed someone like that around him now.

"It's Hitsugaya-taicho…" He grumbled routinely, but he sat back down into his seat.

"I have some extra chairs for you." Rukia called out as she entered the room with some extra chairs. She was in full on gracious hostess mode, putting Ichigo on an extra edge. He hated watching her be so damn polite to not one, but _two_ men who wanted to put him out of his misery. He was almost to the point of just letting them.

"Thanks Kuchiki, you're a doll." Shuuhei said, receiving more than a few glares at his compliment.

Rukia sat down in one of the chairs she brought out and fiddled with her fingers in her lap. The room was filled with a tense silence…

"Anyone hungry?" Rukia offered.

"Put your hand down." Byakuya ordered before Renji could swallow his drink to answer. "I wish to speak to them in private. An audience is not required."

There were quick snorts from multiple directions, but only Kenpachi was ballsy enough to speak outright as he got up to leave the room. "These two have had enough of an audience for one night. Get your asses up Ikkaku, Yumichika. The rest of you fuck off too."

Ichigo groaned and Rukia bent her stirring spoon in the shape of her clenched fingers. When Renji passed by timidly, Rukia grabbed his thigh so forcefully he dropped to his knees to her level.

"How much exactly did you see?" Rukia asked with the most horrifying attempt at a smile Ichigo had ever seen. She made Kenpachi look like a teletubby.

Renji glanced around for help and his comrades up and left him, giggling their way into Rukia's kitchen. Except Hitsugaya who was turning a pretty shade of pink. "Uh…" Renji tried nervously.

Ichigo watched the red head gulp hard and actually pitied someone other than himself for a second.

"Uhh…" Renji stammered. "Well…I didn't see any breasts…" he offered pathetically.

Renji and Ichigo cringed as Rukia gripped Abarai's leg harder and Yachiru peeped from the kitchen. "Kenny says you have to give me 'The Talk' Lil' Smarty! He says he's," Yachiru put on her best, scrunched up, scary face Kenpachi imitation. " 'For sure as fuck's not gonna do it and that short dominatrix probably knows more than I do anyway.'"

Even Byakuya's eyes rolled upwards at that.

"Stop teaching her shit like that!" Ichigo yelled out.

Renji used Rukia's shock and dismayed state to escape into the other room and Kenpachi grinned. "I think it's past her bedtime anyway. If no one's dying tonight, I've got no reason to stay here."

"Kenny what's bondage?" Yachiru asked before two hell butterfly appeared and Kenpachi dragged the pink pest out the door.

Ichigo sat with his head between his hands and his elbows on his knees as the living room finally grew quiet again. Even his father hadn't embarrassed him to this extent. Although if he ever found a copy of that broadcast, it would surely become a staple at family reunions. Ichigo could picture it now.

"_This is how my first born son lost his virginity! Look at him ride our dearest Rukia like a pro. She's sure bucking around for him! Masaki would be so proud. You know, that runs in the fami-"_

Ichigo snapped out of his own thoughts. He was obviously delirious and needed time away…very far away from his father.

"I really wish you would have sought my blessings before beginning this affair." Byakuya stated now that the disruptions and Ichigo's disturbing visions were gone.

Ichigo had moved past scared shitless and had moved full forced to pissed. "Well maybe if you'd had a few more human lessons you'd learn that no one does that anymore." He argued for the sake of arguing. "And don't call it an affair." He grumbled as an afterthought.

Byakuya narrowed his eyes at Ichigo's attitude and Rukia threw him a slight glare too.

"What am I supposed to call it when I am unaware of your intentions?" Byakuya questioned condescendingly.

Ichigo crossed his arms. "It's called dating. And my intentions are to…uh..date…"

"Thank you that clears things up."

Was Kuchiki Byakuya being sarcastic? Somewhere in Hell they were ice-skating for the first time.

Rukia addressed her brother finally. "Nii-sama I'm sorry I didn't come and inform you about…this development in person. I know my busy schedule is not really an excuse, but it's the only explanation I can offer you. We weren't trying to hide anything. Everything is still relatively new."

"How new?" he asked.

"About a week-"

"About a year-"

Ichigo and Rukia's faces darted towards the other at their opposing answers. Byakuya frowned at them both.

"A year?" Rukia looked confusedly at Ichigo. "We've only been together a week."

"Well I thought he meant when, you know, _everything_ started. You know…feelings and stuff." Ichigo looked away mournfully. How he wished Byakuya had just killed him.

"Oh." Rukia said. "Wait a minute, a year? You've only felt this way for a year?" she asked with some indignation.

Ichigo eyes rolled in agony. "I only let myself admit a year ago."

Rukia's fist found her hip. "What's so wrong with me that you had to wade around in denial for so long?"

"Can we not do this now?" Or ever…

"Yes." Byakuya, ironically, saved him. "I do not wish to hear detailed specifics. I have seen quite enough with my own eyes."

"So has everyone else." Ichigo groaned with his head back in his hands. Ichigo was twistedly happy that Rukia was an orphan. He couldn't imagine dealing with a string of real relatives.

Byakuya ignored Ichigo's pouting and turned to Rukia solemnly. "I will not intrude on your private life Rukia."

Ichigo couldn't help himself. "And what you're doing now is…?"

Again, the Kuchiki brother ignored his remarks. "But I will still maintain that you uphold the Kuchiki clan's honor. No more…incidences like tonight will occur. Am I understood?"

"Yes Nii-sama." Rukia nodded right away but Ichigo frowned. He was a little confused at whether Byakuya meant no more televised acts or no more acts period. And he for sure as hell wasn't going to make a promise like that.

Byakuya noticed his hesitancy and stared challengingly at him. "Am I understood Kurosaki?"

Ichigo glared at him head on. "I guess not." he said harshly. "Do you mean no more _incidences_ with the communicator or _incidences_ in general?"

They faced off for a few tense moments while Rukia let her eyes dart back and forth between the two before Byakuya answered. "As I said, what Rukia does in her private life is not my concern."

Ichigo felt the corners of his mouth tug into a smirk, but he tried to keep his face in check.

"However," Byakuya continued. "She is still a Kuchiki and a member of my clan. If I feel the need to step in and take action I will not hesitate to do so... That said," Byakuya leaned back, threat successfully delivered. "I will be ordering private contractors to amend the mistakes in this building's construction."

"What the hell's wrong with this house?" They heard Ikkaku yell from the kitchen followed by a loud smack of skin hitting shiny hairless head. "Bitch!" he shouted out.

Then Renji yelled at him. "You dumb ass!" He poked some red spikes out of the arch. "Eh…we're not eavesdropping or anything…uh…Hitsugaya-taicho had to pee! You know how kids are."

"Damn it why am I still here?!" The young captain complained.

Rukia ignored the escalating arguing in her kitchen. "What's wrong with my house Nii-sama?"

Ichigo thought ignoring people must be a sport in the Kuchiki house…he could barely drown out Hitsugaya's cries of distress, but Byakuya had no problem.

"Isn't it obvious? You have no room for guests."

Ichigo sneered at him, his attention back to the problem at hand. The bastard was already inviting himself over.

Rukia looked a little put off. She was proud of her house, and for good reason. "Well I was thinking about adding an addition when I had the money."

"There is no need." Byakuya dismissed her and summoned a hell butterfly. "The Kuchiki clan will finance another structure suitable for visitors. They should be done by morning."

Ichigo balked. "Morning? You're going to do it now? Overnight?"

"Nobles hire only the best workmen. It shouldn't take longer than before daybreak."

"Why the rush?" Ichigo asked irritated.

"If I am to be staying in the living world, I'll need proper accommodations."

Ichigo glared at Rukia. His eyes sending the message his mind was fuming over. They had _plans._ Byakuya was _her_ brother. _She_ better fix it. Rukia rolled her eyes at Ichigo, but understood him perfectly as always. "Uh…Nii-sama, I'm sure I have enough saved up to buy a nice hotel room."

Like any place would be good enough for Byakuya's royal ass.

"Money is not an issue. I merely wish to stay close to observe your lifestyle here in the human realm. Frankly this trip is well overdue." He glanced pointedly at Ichigo.

"Why don't you just set up a tent in Rukia's basement?" Ichigo offered through gritted teeth. Hell the bastard could take Rukia's room and everyone else could stay in the basement. There was plenty of room down there.

"A basement is never and will never be a proper place to put one's guests. Rukia knows that."

Rukia forced a smile. "Well… I guess I'll… give you the tour then."

Ichigo flopped face first into the couch and let Rukia go off and show her brother around. For once he was hoping Renji and the others did a crappy job and the flooring gave way underneath that prick.

Ichigo tried suffocating himself in the soft fabric when he felt a hand slap his back consolingly. He rolled his head to the side and caught Shuuhei bent over smirking at him. "Kuchiki-taicho cock blocked ya huh?" Shuuhei asked.

Ichigo didn't have the energy to retort. His dead eyes said it all. Matsumoto pulled him up and sat next to him, forcing her captain to sit next to her as well. She put an arm around both sulking juniors and smiled. "Looks like everyone here needs a drink! Luckily I brought my favorite flask!"

Renji and the others piled into the living room as well. "We might as well stay here too." Shuuhei shrugged.

Ikkaku rubbed his abused head. "We were supposed to battle that hollow that's been creeping around town right?"

Renji nodded. "Yeah. We'll head to Urahara's in the morning. He said he's got some kinda hollow bait that'll hone in on a specific one. Oi, Ichigo. You gonna be up for it?"

"Yeah. I'll be up for it." He was up to kill anything right about now.

Matsumoto pulled the white haired captain into her bosom. "What about you Taicho? Are you going to keep us company?"

Ichigo was pretty sure the muffled yells were some kind of refusal.

"So Kurosaki," Ikkaku started. "Uh…you gotta any room in your crib?"

Ichigo scowled. "Why can't you just stay at Keigo's again?"

Ikkaku and Yumichika's eyes met briefly before Yumichika answered. " We're not welcome there anymore. Asano's sister is not a beautiful person when she's angry."

"Or when you're sober." Ikkaku grunted.

Ichigo would have defended her on principle…but she _was_ a bitch. "Yeah whatever. You can stay at my place. It's empty anyway."

"Where's your family?" Matsumoto asked while Hitsugaya still struggled.

"Dad's outta town. Sisters'sleepover."

"Ohh." Shuuhei winced. "Tough luck. Kuchiki-taicho's got some timing huh?"

Ichigo's head fell between his knees. Just like that, the best week of his life turned into the worst. All thanks to Kuchiki Byakuya and his damn timing. And that Urahara's lousy video monitor...

Matsumoto leaned extra close to Ichigo's sulking form with a question on her mind. "Is what Rukia and you did on her desk going to be in her lesson plans?"

"Yeah." Shuuhei asked just as curious. "Cause I'm gonna want to take notes on how you got her to give in like that. I never thought of hooking a leg over the shoulder while the girl's clothes were still _on._ Is that a human thing? Or is it universal?"

"It's universal." Said Matsumoto…and Yumichika.

"Someone kill me." Ichigo, Renji, and Hitsugaya groaned in three-part harmony.

* * *

_AN: Erg. I really wanted to update sooner, especially since parts of this chapter were super easy to write. I had a problem with the beginning, but hopefully it turned out all right. And hopefully the review thingy won't break like the last time I updated. I was so sad when my email box was empty that first day. What a bummer ya know? But blah blah blah, I'm done. Enjoy reading!_

_As always, critiques are encouraged. I can't improve if I don't know what's wrong. Thanks a lot!_


	21. Bait

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. But I own the Season 1 DVD! Yeah baby! Thanks Mom!_

* * *

Chapter 21: Bait

* * *

The contractors had managed to build, furnish, and decorate Rukia's brand new guesthouse before either of the Kuchiki siblings had retired for bed. Byakuya had the honor of being Rukia's first guest and went to bed shortly before Rukia went to her own room. She couldn't sleep at all though. The traumas of the night were still fresh in her mind. 

She had given Byakuya a tour of her house and that was almost as embarrassing as having him catch her and Ichigo on the video monitor. He had such a fine eye for detail; he probably picked up every speck of dust, every crumb, and every stain, that fell on her watch. She hated herself for liking the color white. How was she supposed to keep it clean?! It was also mortifying when she tried to explain the abundance of _Ichigo's_ things in _her_ house. He found Ichigo's music, Ichigo's books, Ichigo's clothes…Rukia actually put on Ichigo's boxers trying to convince her Nii-sama that they were hers.

She loved her brother and she was ecstatic that he was finally taking an interest in her life, but damn if he had the worst timing! She wanted to stretch her figurative wings and be independent of all the men that kept trying to shelter her. It took long enough to get Renji and Ichigo off her back, and now she had her brother's judgment weighing down on her.

Not to mention what she and Ichigo had privately planned …but Rukia wasn't going to whine and sulk like her bright haired counterpart who'd left that night with everyone else. She gave up on forcing a good night's rest and vented all her frustrations into a thorough house cleansing.

It was dawn when Rukia felt her house would pass even Byakuya's inspection. She didn't see the sense in going to sleep anymore, so she moved into her kitchen instead. She knew the kind of foods Byakuya liked and most of them required a certain amount of prep time. If she started them beforehand, there was less chance of her messing up when he was actually ready to eat. Of course, that was assuming her Nii-sama would even eat her cooking.

Rukia sighed as she chopped vegetables. She'd been so pleased with herself during the week and it only took one visit from her brother to send her back into this abysmal, self-loathing, state. She hated how her brother and the rest of the nobles made her feel like an insufferable child. Rukia knew she probably enjoyed playing a human because she did it better than playing a noble.

The sound of keys jingling at her breakfast nook door brought her out of her funk. She looked through the small glass window and saw orange.

"Ichigo?"

Rukia walked to the opening door to see Ichigo let himself in. He started at seeing her in front of him.

"Shit." He whispered harshly. "What are you doing up so early Rukia?"

"What are you doing_ here_ so early?" Rukia whispered back. Then she rose her voice. "And why are you whispering?"

Ichigo ran his hands through his hair. "I was afraid Byakuya would be in here."

Rukai shook her head. "No he's already in the guesthouse. They finished it long before the sun rose."

Ichigo quirked his mouth in an awkward grin. "Jeez, some builders huh?"

"The best money can buy." Rukia shrugged. "Why are you here?"

Ichigo moved comfortably in her kitchen and started up her coffee machine. They'd both be needing it. He took out a few mugs as he answered her quietly. "Couldn't sleep. Ikkaku and Yumichika snore like fucking chainsaws."

Rukia started tea for when her brother woke up. "Why didn't I hear your loud…motorbikethingy?" she asked.

Ichigo shrugged. "I walked."

"You walked?"

"I told you I couldn't sleep. I've been up all night practically."

Rukia pushed some hair behind her ear with a sigh. "Me too. I decided to clean up a little bit."

Ichigo let out a snort. "So that's why it smells like a lemon threw up everywhere."

She smacked him on the arm, but there wasn't too much force behind it. Before she could pull her arm back, Ichigo grabbed it and moved her gently to the counter. "Let me just get this out of my system." He said quietly before he placed his lips against hers. Rukia fell right into it. She didn't want to fight or play, she just wanted some comfort from a really rough night. Ichigo's soft touch provided just that and Rukia felt herself relax for the first time since her brother arrived. Ichigo's hands moved slowly from her face down her body. His fingers lightly grazed her neck to her collar, her shoulders to her arms, and her hands to her fingers. He trailed her skin as if his touch was a cure.

It sure as hell felt like a cure. The familiar tension Rukia felt when she kissed Ichigo drum rolled through her stomach just as his hands teased the skin there. Rukia pulled him closer by his shoulders and moved both hands into his hair, softly scratching his head the way he liked.

He groaned softly and pressed himself closer. His arms fell to her sides and his hands cupped the seat of her pants and pulled her higher towards him. Rukia fought the strong urge to wrap her legs around him. Her brother could wake up soon…if he wasn't already up.

Rukia broke the kiss and put her hands back on his shoulders, signaling the need to stop.

Ichigo pulled back, lifted his hands to her face and leaned his forehead against hers. "Sorry." He breathed.

Rukia shook her head slowly against his. "No it's okay. _I'm_ sorry. I promise it won't always be like this."

Ichigo frowned at her. "What are you talking about? Rukia, this is enough for me. You're enough." He looked at her and broke out in a grin. "You and my kick-ass motorcycle. I can't wait to take you for a ride."

"Where are you riding my sister?"

They jumped apart and snapped towards Byakuya, looking regal as ever. Ichigo slipped and fell against the wall. "Damn it, stop doing that!" Ichigo shouted from the ground. "You're like a fucking ninja!"

The peaceful morning mood destroyed, Rukia kicked at Ichigo's stomach. "Don't curse at him!" Then she turned with a bright smile towards Byakuya. "Good morning Nii-sama! I hope you slept well. Are you hungry? I can make you some breakfast."

"Yes." He moved to sit at her table. "That would be most welcome. Why is Kurosaki here and on the floor?"

Rukia glared Ichigo, silently warning him to bite his tongue for once. He was such a brat around her brother. If Byakuya saw how considerate Ichigo _could_ be, they'd probably get along better. Rukia quickly retrieved the tea she had prepared and served Byakuya. "I'm not sure why he's here." She answered in response to his question. "He's probably just checking up on me." She had to bite her own tongue to keep from saying it must be contagious.

Ichigo got up from the floor and poured his own coffee. "Actually I came over because we're hunting a specific hollow today and I thought it would be best to release the bait around here where there aren't a lot of people to get in the way." He sat himself at the head of Rukia's table, on the opposite end of Byakuya. "I just wanted to ask you if that's okay."

"That's fine." Both Kuchikis' answered together.

Rukia fought hard to hide her annoyance but failed to hide her shock when Byakuya spoke again.

"My apologies Rukia. It is not my place to give consent."

Rukia blinked wildly at him and Ichigo gurgled on his drink. "Th-that's alright Nii-sama. You did just build my guesthouse after all."

"As a Kuchiki you are entitled to the house's funds. That guesthouse is entirely yours. The fact that you've been able to build a respectable home out of nothing speaks volumes."

Rukia blushed and glanced at the floor while Ichigo openly stared. "Was that a compliment?" Ichigo asked.

"Does that surprise you?" Byakuya asked back with narrowed eyes.

Before Rukia had to stop Ichigo from making even more of ass of himself, the front door banged open with a loud and familiar sounding, "Yo!"

Rukia silently groaned. _Another_ ass to keep her brother from massacring. Rukia saw that Byakuya had the decency to close his eyes before discreetly rolling them at the entrance of his lieutenant.

"Ho-ly shit Rukia," Renji whistled as he let himself into Rukia's home…again. "Have you seen your 'guest' quarters? It's almost bigger than your main house. Kinda makes me feel like I did a shitty jo-Oh…Hey Taicho…" Renji grinned meekly and rubbed his neck while Rukia begrudgingly got out another mug and Renji-sized helping of food.

"Does everyone in Karakura have a key to your house?" Byakuya asked with a hint of scorn.

"It seems like it on some days." Rukia muttered as she served the perfectly able, but lazy men at her table. The gracious host thing was getting a little old now that she had proved to everyone that she could do it.

"I didn't stop by to mooch." Renji said as he licked his lips at the plate of food set in front of him. He took a bite before continuing. "Uwhawa shed he wahed me ho bing Byahuwas igai ower."

"Translated from moron…" Ichigo mocked. "I think he said he brought over a gigai for you Byakuya."

"So you've admitted you're fluent in moron..." Rukia grumbled as she finally sat down to eat her own meal.

Renji just glared at Ichigo with chipmunk cheeks and ruffled in his pockets. He swallowed and brought out a pink pill like the one Rukia had ingested for her gigai. "It's one of those top of the line gigais Taicho."

Byakuya took the pill along with his tea. If he felt any changes taking affect, he didn't show it on the outside. Renji stared at the noble as if he'd start shooting fireworks from his ears at any minute. "Could you hook me up with one of those?" Renji asked with wonder in his voice.

"Are you still unable to maneuver efficiently in your own gigai?" Byakuya droned out.

Renji frowned and shifted uncomfortably. "Well…I'm a big guy. It takes a lot of wiggling to get the fit right."

"I'm so glad Keigo's not here…" Ichigo mumbled to himself. Rukia composed herself enough to keep from encouraging him with a smirk.

"What else did Urahara say?" She asked instead.

Renji picked at his teeth. "He said to gather everyone up at some outta the way place and then we'd strategize."

Byakuya wasn't showing any outward confusion, bur Rukia realized he probably didn't know what they were talking about. "We're releasing some bait to find out more about a specific and problematic hollow." She explained.

Her brother remained expressionless as usual. "What makes this hollow problematic? I thought the shinigami here in the living world were capable to dispatch a meager hollow on the loose." He didn't throw any sort of look to Ichigo, but the insult was clearly for the carrot top who immediately took offence.

"I _am_ capable." Ichigo ground through a clenched jaw. "We're just being cautious because this specific bastard's got some weird ability."

"Being cautious must be a drastic change of pace for a _boy_ as rash as yourself." Byakuya continued, seemingly unaware…more likely uninterested, in the way Ichigo was audibly gritting his teeth. "I'm sure this is no doubt an aspect of Rukia's influence on your behavior. I suppose that is one benefit of your new…arrangement."

"I oughta shove-"

"Actually Nii-sama," Rukia butt in before Ichigo started another fight at her table. "Ichigo's been a big help to me. He's helped me prepare my home, helped me get a normal human job, and he's even…uh…helped with…a few chores here and there…" That was a technical truth that should satisfy both of the males' egos.

Ichigo grinned smugly and leaned back, successfully placated, and her brother gave a slight nod of concession.

"Very well." Byakuya spoke. "As long as you have a firm grasp of the situation."

"Does that mean you're leaving then?"

"Ichigo!" Rukia scolded. How much ego stroking would it take to keep his big mouth shut?! He was forcing her to start reacting violently if he didn't keep his rudeness to himself. As soon as her brother wasn't looking, she'd throw that idiot carrot into her blender and make smoothies for the rabbits on her lawn. Her brother just had to press Ichigo's buttons. Ichigo _hated_ being called boy. But he really should be used to that by now.

"My presence isn't interrupting anything I assume?" Byakuya asked, almost suspiciously.

"Of course not." Rukia answered quickly. It was easy dealing with the idiot twins Ichigo and Renji; idiot being the most affectionate nickname she could muster so early in the morning…But adding her brother to the mix required a certain amount of finesse on Rukia's part. "Nii-sama…I think you would enjoy examining Ichigo's motorcycle."

Ichigo perked up at the mention of his beloved new toy and even Byakuya looked intrigued at the foreign concept Rukia had struck up. "Motor…cycle…" he tested the word slowly.

Rukia hid her grin and nodded serenely. "Ichigo, why don't you show Nii-sama and Renji your motorcycle and I'll—"

The younger and vibrant haired men excitedly dragged the unsuspecting noble out the door before Rukia could utter another word.

Rukia let out a deep sigh and reveled in the brief peace and solitude of her home. "I'm grateful for my friends and family…" she reminded herself. "_Grateful_…" she said again. And again…

After spending a few hours of blissful, testosterone and ego-less silence to herself, Rukia made the round of phone calls to have everyone meet at her house for the upcoming mission. She set up a picnic style lunch and swore it would be the last free meal she'd whip up for intrusive 'guests'. Her grocery bill was stacking up to phenomenal heights and the clerks at the store she frequented were beginning to wonder how someone so small ate so damn much. The next time Ichigo or Renji walked in expecting a free meal, she'd start asking Orihime to help her cook…That would teach them a lesson or two.

Rukia walked out to the clearing set slightly behind her house to wait for everyone to arrive. She put a finger to her chin and frowned. "I hope the hollow activity won't disturb any of the rabbits around here…" she mumbled before she felt a stifling shinigami reiatsu. She recognized it as her brothers.

He was obviously not in a good mood…

Byakuya suddenly flash stepped beside her, his hair uncharacteristically…disheveled. He wasn't quite glaring at her, but the look reminded her of the way he'd be staring at her the night before.

"Did you have fun?" Rukia dared to ask.

Now he was glaring at her.

The roar of Ichigo's motorcycle and Renji's cackling laughter broke her brother's intense gaze. Renji jumped off Ichigo's bike ran towards the siblings. His hair was sticking straight back instead of straight up, but his giant grin was what caught Rukia's attention.

"That was awesome!" he yelled as if he were still trying to compete with the engine, causing Rukia and Byakuya to flinch away. "It was like-like-like the coolest thing in the human world ever!"

Rukia couldn't hold back her laughter and Byakuya swiftly turned his back to Renji and the approaching Ichigo. Rukia looked to the orange haired teen who looked smugly pleased with himself. She'd never ridden Ichigo's motor-thingy...perhaps she should have tried it before she let her brother experience it.

"I've gotta get me one of those!" Renji shouted gleefully.

Rukia was caught in Renji's enthusiasm. "What was it like?" she asked with wide-eyed curiosity.

Byakuya scoffed. "It was like the most crude and reckless excuse for transportation I could have ever imagined."

"Scared the crap out of him." Ichigo smirked devilishly.

Byakuya snapped towards them and shot daggers at Ichigo. "I believe your analogy is not only exaggerated, but extremely misconstrued. Riding _that _piece of machinery has nothing to do with fear, but only degradation for those with principles."

Renji's beaming smile faltered slightly. "I can still ride it though right Taicho?"

Byakuya sniffed at him. "I'm sure you'll find a lot of enjoyment in such frivolities."

Renji either completely missed, or completely ignored the vague insult with the arrival of the rest of the shinigami group Rukia had called earlier. He ran to tell them about his attempt at, popping a wheely, and the new set of scars along his back.

Ichigo brushed Rukia's elbow. "I think Byakuya's just too stuck up to admit he had fun." He whispered loud enough for the noble to hear.

Rukia interjected before they got into another verbal spar. "Nii-sama, why don't you go back to my house and take a bath in my master bathroom. I didn't know Ichigo would take you on such an…er…exertion. I apologize for letting him show you something I haven't tried out first."

The elder Kuchiki nodded and turned back towards Rukia's home. "I shall take up your offer and rid my mind and body of all traces of that must unpleasant human experience."

Before he got to far, Rukia reluctantly called out to him. She wasn't sure if she'd enjoy it, but there was no way she'd let Renji beat her at something human related. "I'm still allowed to try out Ichigo's mode of transportation right Nii-sama?"

Without turning, she and Ichigo clearly heard him answer, "I've seen you ride worse…"

"Oi!" Ichigo cried out indignantly, while Rukia just flushed. Ichigo shoved her with his elbow and glared down at her. "You didn't need to ask his permission. You totally set us up for that."

Rukia glared back. "Oh shut up. I should have known better than to leave you alone with Nii-sama. Of course you'd do something irresponsible to leave him with a bad impression." She checked to see if her brother was out of sight before throwing an elbow to Ichigo's gut. If she didn't have the urge to kiss him, she sure as hell had the urge to hit the jackass.

She stuck her nose up in the air and walked towards the rest of their friends before Ichigo could retaliate.

"Bitch." He uttered out before joining her.

Ikkaku, Yumichika, Shuuhei, Matsumoto, and Hitsugaya were standing waiting with Renji when Rukia strode forward. "Where's Urahara?" she asked as she tapped her foot impatiently. This hollow business unnerved her and she wanted to get it out of the way quickly. Not to mention she'd left her brother home alone with all of her modern human technology…

As much as Byakuya liked to think he was, he was not, in fact infallible. Rukia was hoping she'd have a house left to come home to if her brother got cocky and tried to use her microwave to polish his kenseiken.

"Said his services weren't required." Shuuhei answered. "He just told us to split into teams and release our hollow bait in scattered areas."

Hitsugaya crossed his arms. "That way we won't be cluttered in one spot and we can take down the hollows easier."

Ichigo joined them with his usual scowl in place. "Just remember not to touch the tentacles." He advised. "I guess it doesn't affect humans, but me and Rukia had some weird visions that really distracted us."

There was a quick glance between the group and Ikkaku muttered a, "Right. We'll keep that in mind."

Rukia frowned leeringly. "How did Urahara manage to make bait that picked up on our specific hollow so soon?"

Renji grinned and answered a little quickly. "Who knows how he does the stuff he does? Let's not get into the details and just kick some hollow ass."

"Uh, teams first." Yumichika suggested.

"Oh right." Shuuhei agreed. "I got Abarai."

Ikkaku punched his usual partner. "Pretty boy's with me."

Yumichika glowed. "How nice of you to say so! I did add some extra sheen to my hair this morning." He preened his…weird eyebrow thingies a bit. "Your father has some really exceptional conditioner." He said with a nod to Ichigo.

Hitsugaya rolled his eyes and Matsumoto pulled him into her breasts. "I wanna stick with you Taicho!"

"Matsumoto!" The short captain bellowed angrily between her breasts.

Rukia frowned again. They were acting weirder than usual. "So I'm stuck with the Strawberry?" she asked with her hands on her hips.

Ichigo scowled at her. "Oi, what's wrong with-"

"Alright, we're teamed up!" Matsumoto dropped her captain and pulled a small bag from between her breasts.

How many things she actually kept in there, Rukia wouldn't even venture a guess.

Matsumoto pulled out a capsule like the kind Ishida had used years ago to goad Ichigo, and handed one to each team. When she got to Rukia's waiting open palm, she paused. Her mouth formed a large 'o' shape as she reached in the bag.

"Oops, alllll out!" She rose her eyebrows up and down meaningfully at the punk-ish lieutenant. "Shuuhei, didn't Urahara give you the rest?" she asked with an obnoxious wink.

Everyone made a face at her horrible acting. Rukia knew something was going on. Urahara always had to manipulate a simple plan into something more devious.

Shuuhei shook his head disdainfully at the blonde, but reached into his pocket anyway and tossed a capsule at Ichigo. "Yeah, just remember to give everyone time to spread out before you break it."

Ichigo held the small capsule and furrowed his brow. "What's going on with you guys? I've been with Rukia long enough to know bad acting when I see it."

Rukia stomped onto his foot, but shared his suspicions. She was about to interrogate Renji, but the others took her sudden bout of violence to bolt away.

"You guys take this spot, we'll find our own!" Ikkaku called out before all traces of the other shinigami disappeared.

Ichigo and Rukia shared a look before shrugging and getting into their stances. Rukia focused and transformed into her shinigami form while Ichigo while already in his robes with Zangetsu drawn and waiting for her.

"Ready?" He glanced down at her, his eyes set with determination.

Rukia gave him a firm nod. "Let's do this." She said as she gripped Sode no Shirayuki in her hands.

"Right!" Ichigo declared and he crushed the breakaway capsule in his fist, preparing for the hollows to pop up around them.

And they waited…and waited…and waited…

Almost half an hour later Rukia and Ichigo were sprawled lazily on the ground, waiting carelessly for the prey to fall into their 'trap'. Rukia groaned and scuffed her foot in the grass. "Did you do it right?" she asked in aggravation. She couldn't have been more bored.

Ichigo stopped his cloud gazing and gave her a sideways glance. "How could I do it wrong? I just broke the capsule. You saw me do it. If it's broken blame Urahara."

"Well I wouldn't put it past you to find some way to screw up something so simple." Rukia scoffed.

Ichigo rolled onto his side with what Rukia assumed was an angry glare. She didn't bother to turn and look. "If anyone's a screw up it's you!" he complained. "You know, you should have told me your monitor was still on last night!"

Rukia sat straight up. There was no way he was going to blame her for that mess! "I didn't know it was still on!" she cried out. "The lesson was over, the screen went black, the sound cut off. It was just some techno-whatever mishap. Don't blame me for not being able to keep it in your pants for five minutes!"

Ichigo's mouth hung open as he yelled. "You were the one taking off my pants!"

Rukia closed her eyes and turned way, deep in denial. "As if I'd ever stoop to something as immature as that. I have some self control you know."

She could feel Ichigo shaking with frustration beside her. "Wha-…You-….Damn it Rukia!"

She ignored his temper tantrum and tried to focus on any hollow reiatsu around them. She crossed her arms and lowered her brows. She could sense fighting going on in other areas of the forest, but nothing in their immediate vicinity. Why wasn't their bait working? "I think we're being set up Ichigo."

She felt him stop pounding the ground and turned to see him struggling to understand what she was talking about. He snorted. "Well if they want a sequel of last night, they're gonna be disappointed. I don't care if they have some hidden cameras here, there's no way I'm touching you."

Rukia shoved him. "Don't make me keep that in mind for later! But I'm not even talking about _that_ moron, I'm talking about—GET UP!"

Tentacles shot up from the ground, sending rock, dirt, and debris everywhere. They were surrounded.

"Shit!" Ichigo cursed from surprise and frustration. They took to the sky with a display of shun po to avoid the grasping arms. In the air, they looked at the ground below them and Rukia's heart stopped.

A giant mouth with layered rows of razor teeth decimated the ground they were just lounging on. They watched with wide eyes as four, thick, hairy tentacles acting as massive legs to hoisted the main body from the ground. The large, bus-sized mass of hollow was slow, but it's body unearthed hundreds of slippery, slick, quick tentacles resembling worms hiding beneath a giant rock. The tentacles squirmed through the ground before shooting into action once the body was completely lifted.

"Rukia look out!" Ichigo shoved her and six arms shot between them. "Damn it!" he yelled. They didn't have time to stay still, as more arms burst into the air towards them. The sheer number of them was astounding!

Rukia could only flash from empty spot of air to the next empty spot of air as wave after wave of appendages shot towards her. She saw a flash of Ichigo and the desperation in his eyes was mirrored in her own. He was probably as worried about Rukia as she was about him. And it didn't help that her own fears of the previous visions were weighing down on her. It was near impossible to avoid being touched. And if she was touched again…not only would blacking out leave her open to more attacks…but Rukia wasn't sure she'd be able to stand another reminder of that night where that bastard espada took Kaien's features.

Rukia ducked and dodged but feel generally helpless. She and Ichigo tried to launch attacks, but they couldn't keep still long enough or concentrate with all the flying, whipping obstacles in their way. Rukia couldn't even focus on the main body long enough to determine it's general location. She faltered when one of the tentacles shooting towards her suddenly slashed into pieces.

"Howl! Zabimaru!"

"Renji!" Rukia and Ichigo cried out in unison.

The mass of tentacles cleared for a moment and Rukia saw Renji and Shuuhei jump into the fray.

"Shit!" Shuuhei cried out. "Urahara said this might happen." He yelled as he hacked into the tentacles and tried to aim closer for the main body that alluded Rukia and Ichigo.

"What are you talking about?!" Ichigo bellowed in frustration. "Fuck it! I'll just go bankai!"

"No!" Renji yelled suddenly. He grabbed a tentacle without any hesitation and slashed it away.

Rukia gasped as he didn't seem affected in the least. Renji grunted and swung Zabimaru around. "The hollows only affect you and Ichigo. Something to do with your reiatsu. Don't touch it! Don't flare your reiatsu! Just let me and Shuuhei get rid of it until the others arrive!"

Ichigo and Rukia tried to do as Renji instructed, but the hollow was dead set on devouring them. It raged at them directly, ignoring the attacks from Shuuhei and Renji. Rukia discovered they were more in the way of their comrades with their constant dodging to avoid being grazed. Neither Renji nor Shuuhei could release a massive attack that wouldn't catch Rukia and Ichigo as well.

Avoiding Renji's zanpakuto, Shuuhei's zanpakuto, and the constant onslaught of tentacles, Rukia managed to slam right into Ichigo. Instead of flashing away, he sheathed Zangetsu and gripped her arms. "We're just in the way. We're easier to avoid and better bait if we stick together."

"You finally make some sense _boy_."

"Nii-sama!" Rukia cried out as another man appeared to save their asses.

Her stoic brother pulled out his zanpakuto and let it scatter around like blossoms on a breeze. Numerous tentacles shattered around them, as her brother's shikai destroyed them effortlessly.

Rukia found the chance to put her own zanpakuto away and clung closer to Ichigo, making them a smaller target. She let him lead their movements and vaguely mused that it was as if they were dancing.

Dancing with a hollow determined to destroy them conducting the music.

Ichigo spun her, and dipped with her, trying not to get too close to the men fighting to protect them.

Rukia thought the tides were turning and was about to commend Ichigo for his hidden dancing skills, but then she saw a particularly nasty, spiked tentacle knock Renji off his feet. It sprung an offshoot tentacle suddenly and it was heading right towards Ichigo's back.

It was stupid. It was reckless. And it was the only thing she could think of doing in that instant. It was also something inanely 'Ichigo', and if she survived, she was sure her brother would scold her for later.

Rukia could only react instinctively and spun her body directly in the path of the spiked hollow aiming for Ichigo. She felt it stab into her and she actually took a quick breath of relief when she felt the spike stop before it could impale Ichigo as well.

"RUKIA!" Ichigo's arms tensed around her and he screamed. His rage was as evident as his concern.

She was already being bogged down by the horrible visions assaulting her minds-eye, but then Ichigo's hand reached around her to pull the spike from her back and the visions stopped to be replaced by a scorching white heat.

Two screams ripped the air and it took Rukia an out of body observation to realize it was coming from her and Ichigo.

Rukia's normal sight returned and her screams stopped just as she and Ichigo hit the ground hard together. His arms were still together and he rolled himself with a groan onto his back and off of hers.

Rukia dazedly planted her hands on the dirt on each side of Ichigo and pushed herself up, preparing to move again when the hollow would take advantage of their vision-disruption and fall to the ground.

But she wasn't prepared for the vision to materialize into a fleshy reality two feet from her face.

Rukia froze.

"K-…Kaien…dono…?"

* * *

_AN: There's a cliffhanger for ya! My goal for putting this out was Tuesday and I got it in just under the wire. In my time zone anyway. Think of it as a last Christmas present for those of you that celebrate the holiday, and just another update for those that don't! Hope you enjoy! Thanks for the great reviews and critiques, you guys are really awesome! And thanks to all the anonymous reviewers too! I'd respond, but you know, no reply feature, but I totally read and appreciate your comments! Thanks again! Happy Holidays!_


	22. Kaien

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. But thanks for rubbing that in!_

Slight warning that has nothing to do with the story, but it's a pet-peeve of mine. The AN at the bottom of the page is a little longer because I wanted to respond to some anonymous reviewers and such. I just hate getting into a story and seeing it ending abruptly just because there's a long AN. So that's why I'm warning ya. Don't worry though, the chapter's still plenty long. Almost 6,000 words! I'll shut up now and let you enjoy the story...some of you were hoping for a lemon warning huh? Lol! Sorry! Maybe soon though...

* * *

Chapter 22: Kaien_

* * *

__Flashback_

"_Rukia, who's Kaien?" _

_They'd just returned bloody, but victorious from Hueco Mundo. Ichigo had never been expecting to defeat Aizen, he'd just wanted to get Orihime back safely, but he wasn't going to complain about the outcome of their trip._

_Not when he and all of his friends were safe and more or less in one piece. Rukia sure did push it though…_

_He wanted to wait until she was healed up more, but his curiosity overrode his patience. Not that that was some big accomplishment._

"_W…Why are you asking this all of a sudden?" Rukia asked slowly._

_Ichigo almost winced at the hoarse quality to her voice. She definitely wasn't totally recovered, but he got the feeling it wasn't just physical pain that was affecting her tone. He settled his gaze on the floor next to Rukia's futon. There wasn't anything else in the expansive but empty room to distract his eyes. And he wasn't ready to look at her._

"_I…" He felt almost guilty for asking. She'd been so patient when asking about his mother after all. "You were kinda mumbling his name in your sleep and I've…you know…heard things…here and there."_

_He looked up when Rukia sighed. She had lain back down on the mattress with her eyes closed. "I suppose gossip like that was too much for even you to be clueless about."_

_He found it in him to scowl. "What's that supposed to mean?"_

_His heart fluttered uncomfortably when she smiled softly. She sighed again. "K…Kaien-dono was my superior."_

_Ichigo's eyes widened at that revelation. Now he was really hoping the rumors weren't true. Rukia caught his dopey look and slapped his forehead harder than he thought she had the strength to. "It wasn't like that." She grumbled. "He was the lieutenant under Ukitake-taicho and he was the one who trained me…taught me…guided me…he befriended me."_

_Ichigo didn't like the swirl in his stomach that he downright refused to call jealousy. So Rukia probably had a crush on some older guy who showed her around. Big deal. She was saying everything in the past tense anyway…_

"_I killed him." Rukia spoke clearly._

_Ichigo instantly started shaking his head to dispute what she was saying, but Rukia held up a hand and stopped him. _

"_I actually did kill him Ichigo." She said quietly. "He…he was taken over by a hollow and my blade was the one that ended them both."_

_Ichigo didn't know what to say. He could barely breath with the information Rukia had revealed to him, but she continued._

"_He looked exactly like you."_

"_Damn Rukia!" Ichigo accidentally choked out loud._

_She laughed lightly. "You asked." She shrugged. "I never said it wasn't opening a can of worms." Then she frowned. "That's a really gross expression."_

"_He-he looked like me?" Ichigo asked again, as if needing clarification. It was a lot to take in to learn that Rukia had a crush on a man who looked just like him, was taken over by a hollow just like he was…well not just like he was, and then, to top it off, she killed that man… _

_Ichigo wondered if Rukia was going to be doing that next…_

"_He looked like you except he had black hair. And it was longer. His eyes were a bluish-green." She gave him a once over. "He wasn't as skinny as you are either."_

_Ichigo knew Rukia wasn't taking everything as lightly as she made it seem. If he and Rukia had anything in common, it was that they were both guilt-whores. If it were a serious matter, they'd both lay the blame on themselves so thick they could swim in it. But trivial things were a different matter, then it was entirely Rukia's fault._

"_The espada I fought." Rukia's voice got lower. These events were more recent, and Ichigo could see it was hurting her to talk about it._

"_I don't need-"_

"_Let me talk." Rukia said, her voice a little stronger. "I don't need you to protect me. Especially from things that have already happened."_

_Ichigo let out a breath and sat silently, waiting for her to continue._

"_The espada I fought…well…it's complicated and the guy really liked to drone on and on, but the gist was…he was Kaien. He had Kaien's face, and his voice, and…" Ichigo's heart clenched as Rukia's lip trembled. _

"_He had his memories."_

_Ichigo kept his gaze firmly on the floor as he grabbed Rukia's forearm. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know how. He just had to…touch her in some way to let her know that he understood. He was with her, he was listening, and he'd always be there. He'd always stand by Rukia. She was his to protect…_

_Not in that way though…no…of course not…_

_Ichigo sat and let Rukia tell him everything she'd held in for so long. He got the vaguest feeling that not even Renji got the insight he was getting. Rukia didn't cry, hell he'd probably freak out if he saw her cry, but she let down a wall and let Ichigo a little closer to a part of herself she'd closed off._

_At the end of the night he let her fall asleep, exhausted from giving up such an emotional burden, and he sat next to her, keeping his hand on her forearm as if it were a lifeline. _

_To him it was. He swore that he'd never let Rukia go through something like that again. He'd never let her carry that kind of guilt… as long as he was around to carry it for her._

Ichigo felt a wave of relief when Rukia easily lifted herself from his body, showing that the fall didn't hurt her too badly. But his concern returned when he stared up at her, only to see her eyes locked on something ahead. His anxiety grew exponentially when she uttered a familiar name.

"K…Kaien…dono…?"

Ichigo sucked in a shocked breath and craned his head back to get an upside down view of what Rukia saw.

"Holy freakin' hollow shit." Renji gasped. Renji, Byakuya, and Shuuhei stood stock still as they stared at what Ichigo and Rukia's gaze was already fixed upon.

In place of the hollow they were just fighting was Shiba Kaien. The same Shiba Kaien Rukia had run through with a zanpakuto…twice.

And he was naked.

"Is…that…" Shuuhei left his question open ended. "I thought he died." He gasped out.

"A few times actually." Renji muttered with wide eyes.

The subject of everyone's gaze seemed just as stupefied. He was panting nervous breaths and his eyes darted around the surroundings.

"Kaien-dono? Is that you?" Rukia managed to call out softly, still suspended above Ichigo.

"Rukia?" the man looked generally out of it obviously having no idea where he was and why he was naked, but Rukia's name and face he seemed sure of. Ichigo watched dumbly as the naked, upside-down, double of himself strode solidly towards Rukia and grabbed her face to—kiss her?!

"What the fuck?!" Ichigo yelled as watched Kaien and Rukia's lips connect right above him. He would have taken some solace in the way Rukia's eyes bulged and her head immediately jerked away from the sudden kiss, but he was far too busy swinging his fist to knock his new rival's head off.

Ichigo swiftly found himself on his feet and pulling Rukia possessively…er…protectively behind him. "Someone tell me what the fuck is going on!"

"Ow." The dark-haired man on the ground complained. "I don't know who you are, but that's the only free shot you're getting asshole. What the fuck is going on Kuchiki?"

"That's my line!" Rukia yelled, apparently as shocked by the kiss and Kaien's sudden appearance as Ichigo was. She pushed Ichigo aside to throw a fit of her own. "What do you mean 'What's going on?'?! What are you doing here?! You died! Twice! Why the hell did you kiss me?!" Her voice was getting higher by the minute and Ichigo took another step away. Sometimes he forgot Rukia could handle herself…

Kaien moved the hand that was rubbing his bruised cheek to cover his ears. "I don't know. It made sense at the moment, but now I'm regretting it."

Ichigo didn't like how smoothly Kaien bickered with Rukia. That was his job. "What the hell is going on here?!" Ichigo thundered again to gain his attention.

"Shut up!" Kaien yelled back annoyance. "You're not the one standing naked in a field full of strangers! If I knew what was going on I'd sucker punch you right back and _then _tell ya!"

"I didn't sucker punch you!" Ichigo retorted. "Maybe if your eyes were open and you weren't concentrating on kissing random people, you would've seen it coming!"

Kaien stood up and stomped towards Ichigo. "You just admitted my eyes were closed! That counts as a sucker punch! I think I owe you one right back."

Ichigo pushed his face towards Kaien. "You go ahead and try it. Just gimme a reason to knock your ass out again!"

"Big words for such a dandelion haired brat! Kuchiki! Go get my zanpakuto and my clothes! I'll show ya how to put loud mouth punks in their place!"

"Don't call me a dandelion! And don't you tell her what to do!"

"I'll tell Kuchiki to do whatever I want! She's my-…." Kaien looked to the sky with a lifted brow. "Well I don't know what she is…" He mused lightly before shoving his face right back into Ichigo's. "But she's _my_ Kuchiki and she'll do whatever I say!"

Ichigo shook with rage. "If she was really _your_ Kuchiki, you'd know she doesn't do what _anyone_ ever says!"

"SHUT UP!"

Ichigo and Kaien flinched and turned to look at Rukia practically smoldering with fury.

Byakuya, Renji, and Shuuhei smartly decided to stick silently to the sidelines…

"Yelling at each other like a pair of drunken baboons isn't going to help anything!" Rukia scolded with her fists trembling at her side.

"Why baboons…?" Renji muttered dejectedly.

"No _offence_." Rukia pushed through her gritted teeth with an unapologetic glare toward Renji. She looked back at Ichigo and Kaien and flushed red. "Could you possibly put on some clothes before anyone starts yelling again?"

It was then that Byakuya stepped forward and threw his captain's haori toward Kaien. Ichigo crossed his arms in respect for the timeout as Kaien wrapped the cloth around his waist and gave a weak smile to Rukia. "Sorry Kuchiki, didn't mean to make you blush." Then he winked at her and Ichigo declared the timeout over by yelling some more.

"If you're so confused about what's going on, why do you have time to flirt?!"

Kaien crossed his arms mockingly. "Well don't you sound jealous? How do you know Kuchiki? Actually, who the hell are all of you?" he asked seriously and looked at the men who'd been somewhat quiet so far.

"You don't recognize me?" Byakuya asked squarely.

Ichigo watched Kaien scratch his head in a disturbingly familiar manner. "No, can't say I do. You related to Kuchiki or something?"

Rukia's expressive eyes struggled to keep her appearance calm, but Ichigo saw the turmoil she was going through. "Kaien-dono…I think we should sit down and talk about-Ah!" she flinched and grimaced in pain.

The fact that she had been struck in the back earlier hit everyone suddenly. Ichigo, Renji, and Kaien called out to her when she started falling forward. "Rukia!" The three men dived to catch her at once and then clutched their heads as they hit each other.

While Renji, Ichigo, and Kaien rubbed their bruised foreheads, Byakuya was somehow the one with Rukia in his arms. He started back towards the house with his sister in his arms.

"We shall tend to Rukia's wounds before further questioning." He said with finality.

Kaien faltered with what looked like hesitation at being commanded by a stranger, but then his eyes settled on Rukia and he followed willingly.

Ichigo felt his nostrils flare at the soft look in Kaien's eyes. The man had no idea where he was, what he was doing, and who any of them were, and all of his concern was for Rukia. Ichigo knew what that kind of concern felt like, and he didn't like sharing his sympathy for Rukia with Kaien. He knew what Kaien was to Rukia…but he didn't know who Rukia was to Kaien…

Ichigo put aside his distracting thoughts as they made their way towards Rukia's house. While Byakuya tended Rukia's wound, Ichigo sent Shuuhei to gather the other teams of shinigami and Renji to retrieve Urahara. He knew something was up at the beginning of this mission. Damn that Urahara for always leaving out something vital.

Ichigo kept Kaien close to his side as he went upstairs to find the man something suitable to wear. They didn't speak, but Ichigo could feel the man silently appraising him as he rummaged through Rukia's closet for some clothes. Ichigo frowned after showing Kaien how to put on the foreign clothing. Rukia was right…Ichigo was skinnier, but the clothes fit well enough.

By the time Kaien was dressed and followed Ichigo down the stairs, the others had all arrived and were staring at the pair with wide eyes and open mouths. A string of astonished curses followed.

"Oh my…"

"Fuckin' hell!"

"I knew I should have stayed home…"

"What a beautiful surprise!"

Ichigo ignored the gaping shinigami and saw a healed Rukia sitting on the couch next to her brother. Before Ichigo could make a move, Kaien beat him to it and sat on Rukia's other side. "How are you Rukia?" he asked with a frown.

Rukia waved him off and glared angrily at Urahara across from her. "I'm fine. I think there are more important matters at hand here. You knew this was going to happen didn't you?"

Urahara whipped out his fan and hid his face in mock shame. "I may have had an inkling that the hollow was attracted to a specific reiatsu…" The fan snapped shut and his shadowed eyes settled on Kaien. "But I certainly wasn't expecting something this entertaining."

Ichigo jumped from his seat. "You call this entertaining?! Why didn't you warn us about this shit?!"

Renji's hand settled on his shoulders. "Calm down Ichigo. No one could have expected this. Just let Urahara do his thing."

Ichigo would have argued, but Rukia's imploring gaze settled on him and he scowled away his objections. He'd have plenty of time to kick Urahara's ass later…That is, if Rukia didn't do it first. She was nowhere near happy about having her haunted past show up in front of her buck-naked like nothing was wrong.

Urahara pulled Kaien to the floor and sat opposite him, with everyone else forming a circle around them. Urahara put on a warm smile and hummed as he brought out a few instruments and did random readings on the confused shinigami. Ichigo swore he saw an eyelash curler, but he kept his mouth shut.

Urahara finished after a few minutes and leaned in inches from Kaien's face. "Let's start slow shall we? Do you know who you are?"

Kaien started out confidently, but frowned when he realized he wasn't sure of the answers. "I'm Kaien…uh…S-Shiba…And I'm a shinigami…And…Well…I know that's Kuchiki Rukia." He smiled as he was positive of that fact, but that's where he stopped. "Everything after Kuchiki gets a bit fuzzy."

"I see…" Urahara mused. "How did you come to meet Kuchiki Rukia?" he asked, hoping it would lead to more answers.

Kaien quirked a grin. "I taught her everything she knows. We trained and—Oh! I'm a lieutenant of the 13 guard squads! Kuchiki's my subordinate!"

"You kiss all your subordinates?" Ichigo muttered.

"Ichigo!" Rukia smacked his head. "Don't ruin his train of thought! He's remembering things!"

"Well we don't need a life story!" Ichigo argued. "We just need to know why he changed from a hollow trying to kill us, into a naked asshole trying to kiss you!"

"Hey, I remember bits and pieces of spending time with Kuchiki, but I don't remember becoming a hollow." Kaien frowned questioningly at the bickering couple and everyone turned away awkwardly. No one wanted to bring up his tragic past if he hadn't remembered it yet. Ichigo eased up when he realized Kaien probably didn't remember he even had a wife, let alone a hollow ate her.

Urahara seemed to be on the same page and wafted his fan back and forth. "Oh it's getting too serious in here! This reiatsu smells as bad as Freeloader-san after a training session!"

"Hey!" Renji objected.

"That and lemons." Byakuya added unhelpfully but accurately.

"I think our dear Shiba-san will remember all the details of his past after good night's rest." Urahara decided. "I suppose what's important now is explaining the present to everyone."

"That would be a good start." Hitsugaya scowled impatiently.

Urahara turned towards Kaien again and put a hand on his shoulder. "This may be confusing to you, since you don't understand all of your past, but please try to bear with us."

"It's alright." Kaien nodded understandingly. "I get that remembering my past is important, but we should get to the point. I wanna know where I am and how I got to be naked in the middle of the woods with…that guy staring at me." He motioned towards Ichigo until his eyes suddenly widened. "Holy shit, did Rukia and I have a kid?" he ventured.

Most jaws hit the floor, but a few people…damn Yumichika, Matsumoto, Ikkaku, and Shuuhei…were trying to stop their laughter from seeping out.

Ichigo was beyond upset. This guy really knew how to throw him for a loop. How did Rukia manage to admire this jerk? "What?! Where the hell did that come from?!" Ichigo cried out.

Kaien shrugged. "I don't know. I thought maybe I just got really drunk and knocked up Kuchiki."

Byakuya's eyes were as wide as Ichigo thought they could be, as he glared at his sister. "I was not aware of this kind of relationship with Shiba, Rukia."

"We didn't have that kind of relationship Nii-sama!" Rukia explained frightfully. Her eyes shot towards Kaien. "Why would you say something like that?!"

"Does she even look old enough to be my mother?!" Ichigo shrieked. Seriously, calling Rukia his mother was some sort of Freudian nightmare.

Kaien backed away defensively. "Sorry! Sorry! I'll just keep my mouth shut okay? The kid's just weirding be out because he looks like me and I'm sure blondie's way out of my league."

Matsumoto blushed and waved a hand modestly. "Oh everyone thinks that at first, you just have to get to know me."

"Matsumoto!" Hitsugaya slapped a hand to his face as he scolded his lieutenant and Rukia's panicked face suddenly skewed into one of anger.

"Are you calling me easy?" Rukia asked indignantly.

"Weren't you going to explain how Kaien got here Urahara!" Renji shouted before Rukia really tore into the dark-haired man.

Urahara nodded dramatically and swirled his cane to get everyone back on course. "Thank you Abarai! From what I can tell, which…honestly isn't a lot at the moment, we have the result of too much tampering with spiritual energy and technology."

Everyone threw him a look and Urahara recoiled. "This is technically not my direct doing though!" He stood up and instantly brought out Rukia's whiteboard from her office. "Kuchiki Rukia, if you would please illustrate."

Ichigo groaned and Rukia quickly belted him with an extra marker before Urahara began explaining and she began drawing.

"I believe this all goes back to a fateful night in Kuchiki-san and Shiba-san's past that we won't be discussing thoroughly until he can recall it himself."

Kaien looked mildly confused, but kept his mouth shut, having learned his lesson.

Urahara continued as Rukia depicted a scene where a sad dark-haired bunny with bangs stabbed an angry dark-haired bear with a long tongue. Ichigo cringed. Rukia couldn't even draw the worst night of her life without it looking cutesy and retarded…

"The point is that on that night Shiba Kaien passed his spirit on to Kuchiki Rukia so he could rest in peace. While unbeknownst to us, a part of his spirit was taken to Hueco Mundo where it eventually became entwined with the espada known as Aaroniero. Much later Kuchiki Rukia fought and defeated that espada, but not without having to pass her own spirit on to our own Kurosaki Ichigo shortly after."

A lot more stabbing bunnies and bears gave a brief rundown of the events. Ichigo blushed when the stupid dying bunny gave the stupid orange bear a little pink heart before Rukia 'x'ed out it's eyes.

"This is where I believe things get really wonky," Urahara said with much more excitement than any sane man should have. "Because Kurosaki Ichigo used the strength of Kuchiki Rukia's passing spirit, while foe Aizen Sosuke used the hogyoku and the fallen espada's powers to battle each other in a final confrontation!"

Rukia was frantically trying to keep up with Urahara's pace through her drawings, but the scientist was obviously caught up in his own theories and practically dancing around the room.

"That not all though! Not only did Kurosaki Ichigo manage to come out on top through a spiritual reiatsu I'm sure he had _no idea_ how he was using and that even _I_ can barely understand, but then he used the remains of the hogyoku _and_ the fallen espada to call upon powers seemingly impossible, to bring Kuchiki Rukia back to life!"

Urahara panted and tried to come down from his…theatrical explanation…And everyone else blinked wildly at him.

Ichigo was sure he'd just witnessed a scientist's version of an orgasm. He was extremely uncomfortable…

Urahara let out a long breath and instantly straightened. "Everyone understand?"

He was met with many more blinks and blank faces. Ichigo's eyelids were actually getting tired, but he couldn't think of any other reaction to give the man.

Urahara sighed and tapped his lip with his fan. "Let me think of an analogy you kids can understand…Aha!" He pointed to Rukia's wall mounted flat screen. "It's like what those television commercials for today's youth say! The public service announcements that say you've had sex with everyone your partner's had sex with! But in this case it's with reiatsu!"

Ichigo's eyes stopped blinking and started twitching in horror.

Kaien leaned over to Rukia. "So… we _have_ had sex?"

"No!" she shouted.

Kaien pointed between her and Ichigo. "Then it must have been you two right?"

"They've been pretty close..." Renji rose his eyebrows and glanced away.

Ichigo pulled out tufts of his hair. "No damn it! You can't say she's my mother and then say we're having sex! What's wrong with you?!"

Kaien shrugged. "I have no idea, but I think that guy's a little crazy." He threw a thumb at Urahara.

"I need a drink." Matsumoto murmured as she reached into her cleavage for her refreshment.

"No one does drama like Kuchiki and Kurosaki." Ikkaku agreed as he rubbed his bald head to the point it was loosing it's sheen.

Ichigo agreed. His screwed up life could be some kind of manga. At least then he'd get royalties.

"You're saying Urahara," Byakuya began in an attempt to organize the insanity. "That because of Aizen's meddlesome experimentation with hollows, your foolish construction and loss of the hogyoku, and Kurosaki's reckless combination of all those factors, that Shiba Kaien has returned to some semblance of a whole form in front of us."

"Yes!" Urahara beamed pleasingly. "Of course you understand the situation perfectly Kuchiki-taicho!"

"Are you blaming this on me?" Ichigo asked resentfully.

Hitsugaya ignored Ichigo completely and looked to Urahara. "How does this explain Shiba's sudden transformation from the tentacled hollow to a shinigami again?"

"I believe the hollows that have been attacking recently, must have shared a relation to the espada that took over Kaien and thus carried minute traces of his spiritual essence. When the tentacles touched Kuchiki-san and Kurosaki-kun, they must have felt traces of the hogyoku and responded thusly. Today was the first time both Kurosaki and Kuchiki came in contact with a tentacle at the same time. I was expecting some kind of reaction should that occur, but I never imagined Shiba Kaien to stand before us."

Now that things were making sense, Ichigo grabbed his head between his hands. This was all his fault…but…he refused to feel guilty for bringing Rukia back with the hogyoku. It was his gut instinct that told him to use the hogyoku in that way, and he didn't regret it in the least. What he did regret was having Rukia's past drudged up again. What was Kaien now that he was back? Was he part hollow? Was he a vizard? Would he be able to start is life all over again? Would Rukia want to stand beside him…?

Ichigo looked up as Rukia voiced his concerns. "What does this mean?" She looked to Urahara solemnly.

Kaien too, finally looked a bit serious. Probably after realizing his presence was something unnatural and accidental.

Urahara looked at all three of them before shrugging nonchalantly. "I have no idea. After all, this is all just my gut feeling."

That woke Ichigo up.

"Gut feeling?!" Ichigo stood grabbed Urahara's shirt in one fist. "You can't spout shit like that and then write it off like it's just some joke!"

"Kurosaki." Byakuya ordered. "Sit down and control yourself."

Ichigo glared at Urahara and then at Byakuya as Renji and Shuuhei pulled him off and pushed him back into his chair.

Byakuya trained his noble stare towards Urahara. "You will delve into this situation and retrieve answers posthaste."

Ichigo couldn't tell if Byakuya was ordering or asking Urahara, but knowing the captain, it was probably the former.

Urahara smirked. "Why yes, Kuchiki-taicho. That's exactly what I had planned. I love solving a good mystery and I'm looking forward to developing more tests until I've gotten to the truth of the situation at hand. That is, if it's alright with you Shiba-san?"

Kaien shook his head slowly and at first Ichigo thought the former lieutenant was actually going to refuse until the man looked at Rukia with determined but soft eyes. "I'm so sorry Kuchiki." He said quietly.

Ichigo tensed at the soft tone of the man's concerned voice. Kaien was speaking to Rukia as if…

"I'm so sorry." Kaien said again. "I…I'm not sure of what exactly has happened, but I know I'm the one who's supposed to be by your side Kuchiki. And it seems as though I've only caused you problems."

Rukia looked up from the floor she'd be staring blankly at and blinked at Kaien. She shook her head slowly. "N-no Kaien-dono! Nothing's your fault. If I had been stronger-"

"Stop it Kuchiki." Kaien interrupted and stood with his hands on his hips. "I don't need to hear any excuses from you. That's not the way we do things." He smiled at her and Ichigo felt his heart jerk at their closeness. "I'm not gonna beg for forgiveness Kuchiki, but I'll sure as hell stand by you to fix whatever went wrong. We'll do it together."

Shuuhei leaned over to Renji behind Ichigo's back, muttering in a low voice. "I heard Lieutenant Shiba was pretty corny, but it's another thing seeing it up close…"

Renji snickered in response, but Ichigo didn't think the situation was humorous in the least. Sure the guy was corny, but Kaien was saying all the things Rukia needed to hear. He was saying all the things Ichigo wanted to tell her…For the first time in a long while, Ichigo wasn't sure where he stood with Rukia.

A loud stomach grumble pierced the tension in the room and all heads turned towards Renji.

"Hey, it wasn't me!" The red-head huffed with crossed arms.

Kaien gave a weak grin and raised his hand. "Heh…Sorry, that was me. I can't take too much action without getting some grub first. My head's about ready to burst. Why don't we all try and figure out what the hell we're gonna do with me tomorrow?"

"My kinda man." Renji cheered and he started towards Rukia's kitchen before Ichigo put a hand on his arm to stop him.

"I'll just order us all some pizza." Ichigo said in a low voice.

"What's pizza?" Kaien asked.

"Freakin' heaven covered in cheese." Renji swooned.

Hitsugaya stood along with everyone else and looked between Byakuya and Urahara. "I'm assuming we should keep this from Soul Society until we have a firm grasp on the situation?"

Urahara nodded and patted the short captain on the head. "Very wise Hitsugaya-taicho. I'd hate to have to fight Kurotsuchi-taicho over Shiba-san."

Hitsugaya whapped the older man's hand away and started towards the door. "Matsumoto." He called out and turned to the other shinigamis. "Our presence isn't required here. If we stay any longer Soul Society will begin to suspect things."

Ikkaku slumped dejectedly. "But I wanted to try pizza! Renji keeps pissin' on and on about it!"

"No pizza!" Hitsugaya ordered and left Rukia's house with a nod to their host. "We'll keep in contact in case you need us."

Ichigo saw Rukia smile and wave everyone off, and realized she was probably relieved having less guests to attend to. Renji was relieved as well, pushing a lagging Shuuhei and Ikkaku out the door so he could have more pizza to himself.

Ichigo got off the phone with the delivery service and leaned on a wall with his arms crossed and a scowl set on his face. "Where does Kaien stay in the meantime Urahara?"

Everyone turned to the blonde again waiting for his answer. "Ah yes. I believe it would be in the best interest for Shiba-san to keep in close contact with you and Kuchiki-san."

Byakuya's eyes narrowed in the slightest. "Excuse me?"

Urahara smiled at Kaien. "How do you feel?"

"Confused." Kaien answered shortly, but honestly.

"That sounds perfectly normal to me!" Urahara grinned. "I think if we want Shiba-san to remain 'normal' we should keep him around present company. With all this reiatsu interaction and shuffling, a constant flow of Kurosaki-kun and Kuchiki-san's influence is probably best."

Kaien frowned skeptically. "You're not asking us all to sleep together are you?"

"Why does it always get back to that?" Ichigo complained exasperatedly.

Urahara tipped his hat. "Hmm…maybe it's a side affect?"

"Maybe you're all perverts." Ichigo snorted.

"Urahara." Byakuya, it seemed, hadn't moved on from a certain disagreeable condition… "Are you implying Rukia should actually keep close quarters with…"he paused long enough to sneer. "These two?"

Renji quickly sidestepped away, not wanting to get involved in that…

"Well I did see that lovely addition to Kuchiki-san's house." Urahara answered. "I'm not suggesting they all sleep in the same bed, but just in the same household. I assume she should have ample space."

Rukia frowned and bit her lip slightly. "I suppose I can accommodate a few more guests." She sighed. "At least while Urahara figures out what's going on." She glanced at Renji and shook her head in resignation. "You're welcome to stay too Renji. The more the merrier." Rukia said without any hint of merriment.

Ichigo mouth almost twitched in a grin. Rukia had thought having her own house meant she'd get some privacy. She was learning the hard way that it only meant more people to mooch off of her. He'd thought she'd learned that lesson after holding her party.

Renji actually shook his head to decline Rukia's invitation. He smirked at her and put up his hands. "Thanks a lot Rukia, but I think you have enough on your plate with Ichigo, Kuchiki-taicho, _and_ Shiba."

She rose an eyebrow at him. "Does that mean you'll be handing over that spare key of yours?"

"Hell no!" Renji pulled his hands to his pockets protectively. "I'm still coming over for meals and stuff."

Rukia rolled her eyes at her best friend and then set herself to teach Kaien the basics of living in a human household. Ichigo was glad that Rukia was distracting herself by doing something constructive, because he knew she must have been a wreck inside. Kaien seemed to be doing a good job of alleviating her stress so far…

Urahara waved goodbye, apparently not wanting to subject himself to Byakuya's harsh glares even for the sake of free pizza and declared that he'd send Renji by in the morning to bring Kaien a gigai…for a really decent price.

Byakuya mumbled something about having to extend his stay in the real world and moved to Rukia's guesthouse to retire early.

Ichigo was sure the captain was just trying to get some privacy so he could scatter up some poor defenseless tree in the woods to vent his frustrations. Ichigo wanted to do the same thing and asked Renji to do some sparring with him in Rukia's basement before dinner came.

Renji gave him a small smile and a nod. When they got down into the faux-winter scene, Renji paused before charging Ichigo head on.

Ichigo tilted his head in confusion, because Renji never hesitated at the chance to knock him around some. "What's up Renji?" Ichigo asked.

"Just your funky reiatsu stinking up the air." Renji teased.

Ichigo rolled his shoulders and prepared to really lay into Renji. He _was_ going to go easy on him…

"You know she doesn't look at him the way she used to." Renji tried to say offhandedly.

Ichigo scowled harder. "What do you mean?"

"We weren't speaking when she was under Lieutenant Shiba's command," Renji spoke casually, but Ichigo knew he was choosing his words carefully. "But I saw her around from time to time. I saw the way she looked up to him. The way she looked _at_ him. And I think I felt the way you're feeling right now."

"How's that?" Ichigo asked in a hard voice.

"Like you're not needed."

Ichigo's stiff gaze fell to the ground. Renji was a perceptive person when he wanted to be. Maybe Ichigo was going through what Renji went through…Maybe Ichigo was going to be replaced like Renji had…

A firm whap by the blunt side of a zanpakuto hit Ichigo's head and he stumbled. "What the fuck was that for?!" He raised a fist at Renji from the ground but stopped when the red-head smirked at him. "What?" He asked again, but without so much attitude.

"You don't listen Ichigo. I said she doesn't look at him that way any more." Renji crouched on his knees in front of him. "Don't get all melancholy like some dumped chick, cause you're jealous and insecure. Rukia'll get pissed off if she finds out ya think she's that shallow. Suck it up bitch."

Ichigo realized why Rukia kept this stray dog around for all these years…and he also knew why she smacked him around.

Ichigo lowered his head towards the ground then suddenly reared back to headbutt an unsuspecting Renji.

It hurt more than he'd thought but Ichigo jumped up as if he weren't fazed in anyway; his usual cockiness restored. "I'll take advice from you Renji, when you can _spell_ melancholy for me."

Renji paused in rubbing his head and opened his mouth to spell…nothing. "Fuck it!" Renji tore himself from the ground and grabbed Zabimaru. "I'll just kick your ass Berry-head!"

"You're one to talk Pineapple! Bring it on!"

* * *

_AN: I'm totally falling in love with Renji, lol! I'll bet you can tell huh? So this update is a little early, hope that'll help some people forgive the cliffhanger. I actually enjoy a good cliffhanger every now and then and I thought that was a good spot in last chapter. I hope you're not too confused about the Kaien appearance...I started confusing myself when writing it even though I'd planned it out...but if you've got questions you can always ask me or chalk it up to the fact that it's fiction! Lol. Well I hope you enjoy and have a happy new year!_

_Oh, I wanna respond to some anonymous reviewers real quick:_

_rin-I'm not sure how many chapters this story will be...I think I was aiming for 20 something, but it keeps getting longer. But I think we're halfway through...maybe..._

_Nobody's Princess- Thanks so much! I think I'm blushing, but no one's around to tell me. I'll try to keep up what you're enjoying so far and keep you entertained!_

_kiteflier- I'm glad you actually liked the cliffhanger! And that's funny with the snapple lid. I miss snapple...I should drink it more often..._

_HollowKonpaku- Thanks! You give me such great compliments! I try really hard to keep everyone as in character as I can. And a comic would be awesome! How flattered am I! Oh, the answer to that would be a lot! I'd love to do some fan art besides my own IchiRuki doodles, but I know my time is better spent writing, lol._

_Thanks a lot to everyone who reviewed! It REALLY makes my day to hear your comments, even if they're simple critiques. It makes me wanna work that much harder. I know this chapter was a little different, but hopefully you'll enjoy the change of pace. I'm still trying to keep the comedy and romance in there. Thanks again!_


	23. Confrontations

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. I'm really enjoying my time borrowing it's characters though!__

* * *

_

Chapter 23: Confrontations

* * *

It was another sleepless night for Kuchiki Rukia. Another night of tossing and turning in her bed, wanting nothing more than a warm Ichigo snoozing beside her. But instead of Ichigo she got her brother. Then she got a malicious hollow. And after even that she got Shiba Kaien. 

Where to start on Shiba Kaien? Rukia had no clue, so she didn't even attempt to give detailed thought to the subject. She decided to hold back any and all reflective thought on the matter until Kaien's memories were fully intact.

She was positive the man sleeping in her guesthouse was the Shiba Kaien who tutored and led her during her early shinigami years, but there was something distinctly different about him. She felt like she was meeting a younger version of the man she respected. He was still cheesy, somewhat goofy, smart and serious when he needed to be, but he'd never been…flirty. Definitely not with her anyway.

Rukia let out a weary sigh and cast a sad gaze out her window towards the guesthouse in the close distance. Rukia was sure the others didn't realize the difference because they hadn't known Kaien like she had. But it was obvious to her. He was acting like a bachelor. Kaien didn't remember anything about his wife, Shiba Miyako.

The absence of Miyako's influence showed in Kaien's personality. He just wasn't complete without her. Rukia almost swooned at the romantic notion, but she was too aware of the implications. Kaien would be a wreck when he remembered what happened. Rukia would have to be solid support and she was grateful she was stronger now.

The thought of strength put a smile on Rukia's face and she moved to get dressed and start the day. She was stronger because she had Ichigo. Ichigo pushed her to be better. He pushed her to fight for what she believed in, stand up for herself. Ichigo pushed her into laughing at herself, and letting down her guard. If Rukia had suddenly forgotten everything about Ichigo, like Kaien had about Miyako, she would be a completely different person too. She wouldn't be whole without Ichigo's influences.

Rukia went to her bathroom and made a face at the mirror. Kaien's influences however, were just making her sappy. She had other issues to deal with. Issues like sharing her home with three of her favorite, but notably difficult men. She'd already decided not to let them walk all over her and she'd used some of her restless night comprising a list of rules for all of them to follow. Besides, there wasn't anything left in her house to clean…

Rukia paused on her descent down the stairs when the aroma of breakfast filled her nostrils and the sound of sizzling reached her ears. In the kitchen, Ichigo was already preparing enough food for all four housemates.

Rukia was thankful that he'd bought everyone pizza for dinner last night, but now that he was cooking breakfast too…if only she could get him alone for five or ten minutes. Or an hour…or…well the gist was, she was extremely thankful.

Rukia's smile dropped when she noticed his mood however. He seemed to be on the cusp of grumpy moodiness and cool indifference. It was a fine edge to walk, but Ichigo was a master at balancing on it. Yesterday he was confused and frustrated with everything that had happened, but he'd calmed down after sparring with Renji. It must have been a temporary fix.

Rukia felt slightly guilty for ignoring him somewhat, but quickly banished the thought. Not only was Ichigo an adult who didn't need her to coddle him, but he understood that Kaien needed her more. His was probably still mad about Kaien kissing her…she wasn't so happy about that either. Or maybe he was upset that her brother was still staying around. Rukia cocked her head to the side with a frown. Ichigo actually had a lot to be grumpy about. It was futile for her to pinpoint an exact reason. He wasn't exactly the pleasant type anyway.

"You know it's a really nice change of pace having someone cook for me." Rukia teased lightly. "I could get used to it."

His only response was a grunt and he hadn't even tuned to look at her. Rukia was put off by his attitude. It wasn't as if she was strolling through a field of bunnies while he was miserable. Rukia grew concerned that something deeper was troubling him, but she wasn't quite sure what to say. Rukia thought it best to start bluntly. "Ichigo-"

"Good morning!" Kaien interrupted her looking all too bright and shiny. Damn him for being a morning person.

"Are your memories back?" Rukia asked hopefully.

Ichigo snorted and turned towards her for the first time that morning. "You think he'd be so damn cheery if that was the case?" Ichigo grumbled.

Kaien was caught up in the food and not the conversation as he laid a hand on Ichigo's shoulder and leaned over the stove. "Wow it smells great in here. I hope whatever you're making is as good as that pizza stuff. I think I could live off of that for eternity."

Rukia smirked and crossed her arms over her chest. "If you wanted to blimp up to the size of the outer Rukon districts, then go ahead by all means."

"You could do with some blimping yourself Kuchiki." Kaien teased back. "When are you ever gonna get taller?"

Rukia couldn't think of answer that didn't involve her foot in his face, so she pushed him out of the kitchen and into the dining room where her brother had just arrived to sit down. She turned back to Ichigo who was ready to serve.

"Ichigo…um…thank you…for doing all of this." She murmured awkwardly.

He smiled a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "It's nothing I'm not used to Rukia. You're like a freaking beacon for trouble. I'm just glad I haven't actually dropped dead yet from the stress."

Rukia frowned and huffed. "That's an odd way to say you're welcome."

He smirked at her show of attitude. "It's not as weird as your 'thank you's'. Normally those result in me getting hit somehow."

"Remind me to thank you more often then." She shot back.

"Will do." Ichigo seemed eased by their usual banter and before he walked out of the arch into the other room, he placed a quick kiss on the top of her head.

Rukia reveled in the millisecond it lasted and felt a little relieved. Ichigo wasn't upset with her, just the situation they were in. As long as he was patient, she could make everything up to him in time.

Breakfast was served and the doorbell rang right on cue. Before Rukia could make it to her living room, Renji was already letting himself in. She rolled her eyes and sat at the table with everyone else.

"What's the point in ringing the doorbell if you're just going to walk in anyway?" Rukia mumbled more to herself. But next to her, Ichigo nodded along and then asked a question of his own.

"And how do you always manage to show up just in time for breakfast?" he asked with a scowl.

Renji sat across from them and next to Kaien with a smirk on his face. "I have many hidden talents you're unaware of."

Ichigo lifted an eyebrow in thought. "Um...you're gonna have to remind me of the unhidden ones."

"Oh ha ha, why don't I-"

"Actually," Rukia rose her voice and pulled out her sketchbook filled with notes. She decided to ignore the cringe Ichigo couldn't hold back… "before anyone gets started throwing food-"

"We wouldn't waste your food Rukia." Renji needlessly interjected.

"Ichigo made it." Rukia deadpanned.

Renji snorted as he took a bite and made a whipped gesture with his free hand. Rukia rolled her eyes and shoved Ichigo down before he jumped over to strangle Renji. "_Before_ anyone gets started," she said again. "I wanted to discuss some ground rules. I believe it's only wise to set up guidelines if the four of us are going to be living together."

Byakuya gave only a slight nod, but Rukia could tell he agreed with her wholeheartedly. Her Nii-sama was a man who had a love affair with structure.

"That's fair." Kaien said while Ichigo and Renji nodded with shrugs and pouts.

Rukia stood up and read from the list she'd written earlier. "Rule one. There are to be _no_ physical altercations in the house." She paused and let her eyes give thorough stares to _all_ of the men at her table. "Only individuals who schedule time together beforehand in the basement training area are allowed to attack one another, and even then, there is to be no use of bankai."

Byakuya, Renji, and Ichigo, begrudgingly agreed but Kaien's eyebrows rose. "You've got bankai?" he asked with some rising astonishment.

Rukia shook her head as the question was directed at her. "I don't, but everyone else here does."

Kaien aimed an impressed grin at Ichigo before winking at Rukia. "I'll bet you're close though aren't ya Kuchiki?"

Rukia opened her mouth to disagree, but Ichigo spoke first. "She's closer than she'll ever admit." He said easily. "If she weren't so busy with school and all the random crap that pops up, she would have attained bankai by now. What other rules are there Rukia?" He asked, dismissing his own compliment.

Rukia blinked stupidly, but then cleared her throat to continue. "Uh…thanks Ichigo…" She murmured before quickly going through the rest of the list. Fighting was her number one concern after all. Blood was impossible to get out of all the white she had in her house. The rules were basic and Rukia was sure there wouldn't be too many problems. She banned the use of appliances unless under her or Ichigo's supervision, everyone would pick up after themselves, no drinking straight from containers, no changing the channel when Chappy was on, give notice before going on missions, no guests without her permission, the toilet seat _must_ be set back down after using it, AND because she was the homeowner, her word was law.

Rukia looked up. "Can everyone agree to these requests?"

Everyone nodded and Rukia smiled, the power already to her head. It wasn't everyday her brother conceded to her will. Her first abuse…use…of authority was taking everyone with her grocery shopping. If she was buying and cooking the food for everyone, they for damn sure were carrying it all for her. It was a long walk to the store after all, and those snobby clerks would finally see why she was such a frequent customer.

Byakuya sniffed as they passed Ichigo's motorcycle in the driveway. "What a sensible choice of transportation." he commented. "Isn't the purpose of a vehicle to carry multiple persons and their loads long distances?"

"I thought…" Ichigo began slowly, trying so very hard to control his temper. "That it would only be me and Rukia."

Rukia herself was a little disappointed she had yet to ride his motorcycle. Renji wouldn't shut up about it.

"Oi." Kaien spoke up and prodded Rukia as they walked. "Is he like…your betrothed or something?" Kaien asked.

"No." Rukia said quickly. "We're…together…but not married or anything. We're only in high school. In the human realm, marriage isn't something most youths consider until they are in college or graduating from college. So we're at least four years away from thinking about marriage." She explained knowledgeably.

Kaien grinned at her. "That's practically around the corner though."

"Not in the mortal world." Rukia explained nonchalantly. "Four years in the lifespan of a human, especially a teenager, is quite substantial. Right Ichigo?"

The pale color on his face suggested she had said something wrong…and the subject was promptly dropped.

When they got to the store, Kaien and Byakuya looked pretty impressed…well Kaien did anyway. Rukia let Renji run around the store to show them the expansive array of human food to choose from. Most shinigami were amazed by prepackaged and shipped items, as Rukia had taught in her H. L. lessons. She was happy to get Ichigo to herself, even if it was just walking down the aisles.

Ichigo was lazily pushing the cart next to her, leaning on it heavily and looking bored. Rukia scanned her list and threw whatever they needed into the basket. They wandered into an empty part of the store and Rukia took the brief moment of semi-privacy to her advantage. She turned away from the shelves and moved towards Ichigo.

She put her hand on his neck and leaned down to place a soft kiss on his ear. He looked more than surprised and shot up to his full height. He rubbed his neck and gave her a shy grin. "What was that for?" He glanced around, noticing for the first time that no one else was around.

Rukia smirked coyly at him. "I know patience isn't your forte, so I wanted you to know how much I appreciate your attempt at it."

His smile turned upside down and he threw her his usual scowl. "What do you mean attempt? I'm like a fucking saint to put up with that Shiba guy all over you."

It was Rukia's turn to frown. "All over me?" She repeated confused. "Kaien-dono isn't all over me. I'm just the only friend he has here and the only person he actually remembers."

"He kissed you!" Ichigo heatedly pointed out.

Rukia's arms crossed her chest defiantly. "He was obviously confused. I was the only person he remembered, probably because I was the one who stabbed him to death twice, so he was probably drawn to what was familiar to him." Her hands moved angrily to her hips. "I can't believe you're jealous!"

"I'm not jealous!" Ichigo argued, mimicking her stance. "I just don't like how Shiba rivals Shuuhei in the manwhore department!"

"Lieutenant Hisagi's not a manwhore! You know his tattoo's a representation of his Rukongai roots!"

"Well he really should have put more thought into something like that. And maybe not stick it permanently to his face."

Rukia waved her hands and shook her head. "Wait a minute. We're not talking about whether or not Shuuhei is asking for it-"

"See, you agree."

"We're _talking_ about how you're jealous!" Rukia brought them back on topic. "I thought you were being supportive, but you're just being a selfish baby!"

"I am not!" Ichigo retorted.

"Are t- Damn it Ichigo! I'm not stooping to your level!"

"Considering your height, you're probably already there."

Rukia growled and grabbed a can of vegetables to whip at Ichigo's face and it hit him right on his scowling eyebrow

"Fuck!" he cried out with his hand rushing to his bleeding forehead.

Rukia, somewhat satisfied by his pain, grabbed the cart and started pushing it away until Ichigo recovered and settled over her from behind.

"That. Hurt." He growled lowly before latching his mouth onto her neck. To passerby it would have looked like he was simply whispering in her ear, his face hidden by hair, but he was actually running his tongue along any skin he could reach. Rukia got caught up, realizing how much she missed this, and she didn't notice Ichigo move to the front of her throat until she felt a sharp bite.

"Ow! Damn it Ichigo!" She rubbed her neck then gasped in outrage when she realized the obvious spot he bit her in. "How the hell am I supposed to hide this?!" she complained. Not even her obnoxious red uniform bow would cover where he marked her.

Ichigo smirked evilly and continued kissing her, even with her complaining. "I dunno." He murmured. "If you're that pissed off, you should probably get away before I bite the other side too."

She shoved him off of her and his teeth clacked together where her skin was just a moment ago. Then she punched his shoulder. "You did this on purpose! I'm not some tree for you to piss on!"

She glared and cursed under her breath as she reached for the Chappy band-aids she'd put into the cart earlier. She opened the box and placed the band-aid over her new and highly visible love mark.

"Technically that's stealing cause you haven't paid for it yet." Ichigo informed.

Rukia answered him by forcefully smacking a band-aid on his own cut.

"Ow!"

"Oi!" Renji called them from the end of the aisle. Byakuya and Kaien were in tow, all three of them carrying a load of random merchandise. "We can't find the cheese toes anywhere." Renji said when they got closer.

"What the hell are cheese toes?" Ichigo complained, still poking at the Chappy between his eyes.

"Cheese toes are the only human cuisine I am familiar with." Byakuya explained. "Renji brought some spicy toes in a small plastic bag to Soul Society previously. They were messy, but rather enjoyable for something so crude."

"I thought they were too hot." Renji whined slightly.

Rukia frowned at them both. "Cheese toes?" She was almost embarrassed she didn't know what they were, but humans did have a large diversity of food available.

"Who's toes are they?" Kaien asked.

"I don't know." Renji mused. "But I think they have toasted toes too. I've heard of toasty toes."

"I saw some dory toes in a bag a few aisles down." Kaien offered.

"What's a dory?" Byakuya asked.

Kaien shrugged. "Some human thing right? Probably like a monkey or something."

Renji grimaced. "I don't think Zabimaru would let me eat something made of monkey."

"What if it was only the toes?" Byakuya suggested.

"What happens to the rest of the body?" Kaien asked confused.

"Damn it! They're not toes!" Ichigo yelled finally. "And they're not made of monkeys. They're chips. Baked slices of potatoes with added fat for flavor. And it's Cheetos, not cheese toes. Tostitos, not toasty toes. Doritos, not dory toes! They're brand names. How the hell are you guys ranked officers?!"

"My memory's been erased, so I have an excuse." Kaien said lamely.

Byakuya merely scowled and dumped the contents in his arms into the cart. He tossed a gaze to Rukia and frowned at her.

"Why are you wearing that bandage Rukia?" he asked, succeeding in changing the subject.

Rukia's eyes widened then narrowed at her orange and spiky counterpart. "It's nothing Nii-sama. Just a little…uh…scrape…"

Renji sniggered at their matching bandages. "I thought the first rule was no fighting?" he teased.

Ichigo bopped Renji on the head and sneered. "Well we're not at home are we? So I say your ass is fair game."

"It's not." Rukia reprimanded Ichigo's threat and moved to push her cart again, only to be blocked by a group of girls from their high school. It was the group Orihime and Tatsuki hung out with. Rukia was friendly towards them but…they weren't the types she wanted to run into often. Especially with the company she currently had with her…

"Kuchiki-san? How are…you?" Chizuru, Michiru, Mahana, and even Ryo from behind her book, glanced quickly from Rukia to Ichigo, to Renji, to Byakuya, to Kaien, and then back to Rukia. The girls blinked rapidly and actually looked a bit dizzy.

Rukia put on her award-winning smile and curtsied politely. "Hello! Good morning to you! Isn't it such a lovely day to go grocery shopping and purchase healthy snacks for our growing bodies?"

Ichigo blanched and Rukia took a note to add a few more band-aids to his face later.

Chizuru greeted her in the usual fashion. "You're so cute Kuchiki-san! As if a tiny and luscious girl like yourself would need to watch what she ate!"

"Did she just say luscious?" Kaien muttered awkwardly.

"And your matching band-aids are adorable!" Chizuru continued. "Although I think someone a bit more _feminine_ than Kurosaki-kun would be more to your liking." She winked.

Before the proud lesbian could grope Rukia and probably give Byakuya nightmares, Michiru timidly pointed a finger at Rukia. "Why _do_ you have that band-aid on your neck?" she asked quietly.

"Oh um…bug bite! Spider bite! Just fell right down and bit me." Rukia replied weakly.

"And it bit Kurosaki-kun too?"

Ichigo scowled at Rukia and answered. "Yeah. Real annoying little bastard." Rukia shot him a glare that the girls seemed to miss.

"I'm terrified of spiders." Michiru trembled and Mahana stepped forward with a frown on her face.

"I'm sorry Kuchiki-san, but I just have to know how you have so many older men traipsing after you like baby duckies!" she asked with her hands on her hips.

"I do not traipse." Byakuya corrected.

"That's rude Mahana!" Michiru scolded lightly.

Rukia discreetly rolled her eyes. Yes, _that_ was the reason she wasn't on the best of terms with these girls. Lesbians she could deal with, especially if Tatsuki was around to back her up, but personal questions that spawned nasty rumors really unsettled her.

"I'm sorry." Mahana apologized lamely. "I just can't help being curious and everyone else wonders that same thing. What is your secret Kuchiki-san? No offense, but you're not exactly…endowed."

"None taken." Rukia said dryly.

Mahana continued while even Chizuru looked a little embarrassed at her forwardness. "It's just that not even Inoue-san has men fighting and falling for her like you do! First Kurosaki-kun, then Abarai-kun and now it's only been a weekend and you have two more!"

Rukia was about to introduce her brother when Mahana leaned in closer. "Are you a pimp Kuchiki Rukia?"

"What? Of course not!" Rukia balked.

The inquisitive girl ignored her and smiled. "Because I actually think that's very progressive."

"Me too!" Chizuru agreed. She snuggled up towards Byakuya. "I like this one, he's really pretty."

Oh dear lord.

"That's my _Nii-sama_!" Rukia cried out.

"Ohhhh sibling love! How taboo!" Chizuru squealed.

"I'm not a pimp!" Rukia shouted to stop the girls from further mortification. "And they're not…a harem…This is my Nii-sama Byakuya who's visiting from out of town. You know Renji and Ichigo. And this," she gestured towards Kaien who was fighting a fit of laughter. "Is uh…Ichigo's cousin...Shiba Kaien."

Ryo glanced up and spoke for the first time. "I thought Abarai-kun was Kurosaki-kun's cousin." Of course she would be the only one to remember that lame lie. She probably took intricate notes in those books of hers…

Kaien looped an arm around Ichigo. "I'm actually his brother, but we're estranged so we tell people I'm his cousin." Ichigo rolled his eyes under his deeply furrowed eyebrows and Kaien just gripped him tighter.

"Ohhh…"

The girls gullibly believed him, Kaien's charm shining through. "You're so lucky Kuchiki-san." Mahana cooed.

Rukia didn't quite think so…

"We'll let you get back to your shopping." Michiru waved and started pulling Chizuru away from a barely composed Byakuya. "Please call us when you have another party!"

Rukia was about to sigh in relief until Byakuya tersely asked, "What _party_ was she referring too?"

Rukia was saved from answering when Ichigo pushed a laughing Renji into one of the freezer cases and the group was asked to vacate the premises…but at least her shopping got done first.

When they got home, all Rukia wanted was a relaxing bath, but Renji had taken Kaien upstairs to try out his new school uniform. Byakuya went up to supervise out of habit and show off his newfound knowledge in wardrobe.

Rukia collapsed onto her couch with her head buried in the fabric. Kaien would have a field day at school, and so would the flocks of girls who were now aware of his arrival. Rukia was grateful her brother looked too old and was adamantly against going to school as well. She couldn't-_didn't_ want to imagine dealing with her little entourage out in public like that again. Rukia grunted in amusement as she probably did look humorous dragging around four men twice her size. She knew Michiru's speculations were just the start of the rumors about to fly around. She could ignore them, but Ichigo would be having a fit by tomorrow.

"Speak of the devil." Rukia murmured from a cushion as Ichigo sat next to her. "Or should I say vampire." She growled as she rubbed her bruised neck.

Ichigo snorted and stretched his arms over his head. "I have to go back home for a few hours to tell my dad what's going on. He and the twins are supposed to back tonight and they'll at least expect me for dinner."

Rukia covered her disappointment by pointing out Urahara's warning. "Are you sure it's a good idea leaving? Urahara said Kaien-dono might need both of our reiatsu's around him."

Ichigo snorted again, but out of irritation. "I'll only be gone a few hours and I seriously think Urahara just said that because he wanted your house to become a fucking insane zoo."

Rukia shrugged. She wouldn't put it past Urahara to do something like that either.

Ichigo got up and shoved his hands in his pockets before looking down at her. "You need anything before I go?" he asked.

She didn't _need_ anything, but she sure wanted a lot. She wanted him to stay. He was still his scowling, moody self, but he helped Rukia feel calm and comfortable no matter what was going on around them. But Rukia felt foolish and pathetic feeling so wishy-washy after he'd already done so much. "No, I can take care of everything." She said trying to sound unperturbed.

"Alright then. Later." Ichigo turned around and held his hand up in a wave as he walked out the door.

Rukia sighed as she heard his motorcycle rumble to life and then quiet down as he rode away. She'd thanked him for being patient earlier, but Rukia wasn't sure if _she_ could handle casting her own desires to the side for much longer.

"Whatcha thinking about Kuchiki?" Kaien's face loomed upside down in front of her holding out a juice box.

"Ahh!" Rukia jerked back and cried out. "Why do you always feel the need to do that?!" Rukia complained at the all too familiar action of her former vice captain.

Kaien grinned at her and walked around the couch to sit next to her. "I can't help myself. I'm sure decades have gone by, but you're still the same spacey kid who jumps whenever I come around." He handed her the juice. "Abarai said you knew the secret of these things. He and Kuchiki are busy going through your office. Said they discovered the…uh, intercatcher or something."

Rukia grabbed his drink and maneuvered the small straw into the hole like Ichigo had taught her. "I'm not the same actually. I've grown a lot." Rukia argued for the sake of it.

Kaien didn't miss a beat. "Well not physically."

Rukia frowned and sipped angrily at her juice. She really did walk into that one. She had to watch the things she said so she wouldn't set herself up anymore.

"Where'd Kurosaki go?" Kaien asked before he sipped. His eyes widened. "This stuff is good. Pretty sweet."

Rukia nodded remembering the first time she'd tried juice. "Ichigo went back home for a few hours. He won't be gone for long."

Kaien gave her a teasing pout. "I'm not good enough company for you Kuchiki?"

Rukia rolled her eyes and didn't bother answering him. When his memory came back he'd be back to his usual self…although probably a much sadder version. But Rukia did want to address something…She set down her juice and licked her lips nervously. "Why did you kiss me?" she asked lowly, barely being able to meet his gaze.

Kaien tried to smile, but Rukia could tell he was putting on a front. "Why wouldn't I kiss you? You're a pretty cute girl Kuchiki. I guess I couldn't help myself."

Rukia stared and waited for him to give her a real response. Sure enough, his smile faltered and he looked serious. "We really don't have that kind of relationship do we?"

She shook her head gently. "No. We really don't. I thought you remembered that much."

Kaien ran a hand through his hair like Ichigo often did. Rukia mused how muted and boring Kaien's dark locks looked compared to the bright orange she'd gotten used to.

"I do." Kaien began solemnly. "It's just…it feels as though…something's missing."

Rukia struggled to keep the anguish from her face. She didn't want to lie to him, but she knew he had to come up with the answers himself.

"I know we haven't had that kind of relationship before, but I know…I know I had it with someone." He gave her a weak smile. "I guess it wasn't with you, but you fit the bill Kuchiki. Kurosaki is a lucky guy."

His eyes met hers. And Rukia again thought about how much she preferred Ichigo's warm brown to Kaien's cool blue. She suddenly didn't see how anyone could think Ichigo and Kaien looked anything alike. Ichigo was…

The corners of Rukia's mouth quirked slightly. "Ichigo is…a lot of things."

Kaien managed a laugh and laid a hand on her head to ruffle her up. "I think if he's anything right now, it's probably jealous because I'm monopolizing all your time Kuchiki."

Rukia pushed his hand away and smoothed her mussed hair. "Not everyone is as reckless with their emotions as you are Kaien-dono. Ichigo is pretty mature for a human his age." Rukia was lying through her teeth, but she was the only one allowed to call Ichigo on his shit. She had to defend her Strawberry's honor. "Ichigo's here to help you just as sure as I am, even if he's an ass about it." Rukia added before she stood up.

Kaien stood with her and looked almost nostalgic. He gave her a knowing smirk that reminded Rukia of how he was when Miyako was alive. "You really love him don't you?" he declared softly.

Rukia blinked a few times and turned away to hide her flush. Of course Kaien had to call her on _her _shit as well. "Yes I do." She said honestly. "I thought that was obvious in the way I boss him around." She turned back around and thrust her chin in the air. "Now stop gossiping like a bum Kaien-dono and go get some well needed rest. High school is a completely different kind of battle to prepare for."

He crossed his arms with mock seriousness. "Any hollows there?"

"Worse. Hormonal teenage girls."

* * *

_AN: Wow, lots of great responses from the last few chapters. That Kaien's such a wild card! I really hope this chapter clears a few things up for some readers who were getting worried. I'd say have some faith in me and the characters, but really I'm just excited that people are showing some involvement and concern for the story. That means I can find out areas I need to improve in and hopefully the story's affecting people more than they would have thought. So thanks for all the feedback, it is soo appreciated! Keep it coming, I'd hate to unknowingly disappoint people._

_And I'm sorry for the slight lateness, but it was hard getting this chapter right. I've really made things difficult for myself huh? Lol. Oh well, hope you still enjoy and thanks for reading!_


	24. Relief

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. But I swear I'd feed it and walk it and clean up after it! Oh please Tite Kubo! Eh...didn't think so. Didn't work with my mom either._

* * *

Chapter 24: Relief

* * *

To be honest, Ichigo took his time getting home, explaining the situation to his dad, and then coming back to Rukia's. It was dark and pretty late into the night. He just didn't want to smother her with his presence if she felt the need to bond with her former lieutenant. He trusted her…he wasn't jealous in the least… 

Alright, to be _perfectly_ honest, Ichigo just didn't want to be around while Rukia and Kaien rekindled their relationship. He did trust Rukia, and Kaien had a legitimate excuse for being an aggravating flirtatious ass, but Ichigo couldn't stand watching them together.

It reminded him of when he first met Renji. Well…more like the second time he met Renji. The first time he was just a cocky red haired jerk who was trying to take Rukia away. The second time they met and subsequently fought, Renji was still a cocky red haired jerk, but he seemed so intimate with Rukia. Despite him trying to stop Ichigo from saving her, Ichigo could see how much Renji cared about her. The uncomfortable feeling in his gut back then made his victory bittersweet.

But while Renji and Rukia were annoyingly close, Kaien was totally different. Renji was adolescent competition, while Shiba Kaien seemed like the real deal. Rukia had admired him so much. Ichigo knew Rukia never saw Renji in _that_ kind of light, but he was positive she saw Kaien that way.

So he trusted her…but he didn't need to watch them get closer. Really…and Ichigo was loathe to admit it to himself…but…he was afraid she would start seeing Kaien as more than a mentor again and he didn't want to witness the slow transformation.

He was being a coward. If Rukia could see the inner workings of his mind—which he sometimes thought she could— she'd get annoyed at him for being insecure, and then disgusted with him for giving up. Rukia was worth fighting for. But he also wanted her to be happy no matter what.

"Fuck." Ichigo groaned aloud as he rode his motorcycle back to Rukia's house. He was annoying the crap out of himself. He should have left Aizen alive just so he could put off being such a whiny, emo bastard. He was going to blame Rukia for this. If she didn't have so much damn baggage, he wouldn't be in this situation.

He stopped his bike at the edge of Rukia's driveway near the road, so he wouldn't wake anyone up if they were sleeping already. He said he'd only be a few hours…Rukia was bound to be angry. Ichigo figured he could argue that she'd never set a curfew in her house rules, so he technically didn't do anything wrong. Ichigo raked his hands through his hair pathetically. He was barely 18 and it seemed he was already married, not getting any, and in the doghouse.

Ichigo promised himself he'd never let Rukia get a dog…she'd really put him in there damn it…

Ichigo wandered into Rukia's main house out of habit before he remembered his temporary room was in the guesthouse. He paused in the dark living room and considered making a stop at the top of the stairs…

"Oi!" A voice sounded out in the darkness and Ichigo nearly hit the ceiling when he jumped.

"Calm down Kurosaki. It's just me." Kaien leaned out of the kitchen arch with a cup of water in his hand and a tired smirk on his face. "Whatcha up to?" he asked with an arched eyebrow.

"I uh…" Ichigo stammered trying to think of an excuse. He looked like a guilty pervert sneaking into Rukia's room in the middle of the night. But Kaien just laughed and shook his head.

"I'm not Kuchiki's dad Kurosaki." He snickered. "Or worse, her brother. I know Kuchiki's old enough and smart enough to do whatever she wants. Or _whom_ever she wants."

The lump in Ichigo's throat warbled and he darted his eyes away from the older man who was laughing even harder. "Wow. You're more fun to tease than Kuchiki was when she first joined the squad."

Ichigo looked up. "Did you get your memories back?"

Kaien shook his head and shrugged. "No. Not yet. I can remember most things though. Things like being a lieutenant. Training with my zanpakuto, a few hollow missions..."

"Rukia." Ichigo supplied.

Kaien gave him a small grin. "Yeah. I remember Rukia the most clearly. I think it has to do with that reiatsu business Urahara was talking about."

Ichigo nodded but his face hardened apprehensively. Ichigo wasn't easily intimidated, but it was odd staring into a face so much like his own. It reminded him somewhat of his hollow.

"Yeah, lotta good times with Kuchiki..." Kaien continued nonchalantly and scratched his chin.

Ichigo knew he was getting at something and taking his sweet ass time doing it. "I can remember training her when something as stupid as a bird distracted her, and now she looks so determined and strong. Really makes me feel proud of her…" He paused and the tips of his mouth quirked ever so slightly into a smile. "Kinda like seeing a kid sister make something of herself you know?"

Ichigo met the man's gaze with bright eyes. "You've got some sisters right Kurosaki?" Kaien asked with the same mischievous smile.

Ichigo nodded slowly and cleared his throat a little. "Yeah. Twin sisters."

"They're fun to mess with eh?" Kaien asked with a wink.

Ichigo managed a small smile. "Yeah. They're fun." For the first time since he met Kaien, Ichigo didn't feel the urge to punch him. He was actually…okay…

Kaien started walking towards the front door when Ichigo stopped him. "Uh…what were you doing up?" he asked. Normally Ichigo minded his own business, but the older man looked a little weary, despite his successful attempt at reassuring Ichigo about his intentions with Rukia.

Kaien yawned and scratched his head. "I just had this stupid nightmare." Kaien answered. "It's been a little tough getting to sleep is all."

Ichigo figured there was more to it, but he'd reached his limit at prying. Instead he motioned towards Rukia's couch. "I can show you the human way of shutting down your brain." He offered.

Kaien grinned back and plopped next to Ichigo on the couch where they sat watching crappy late-night reality TV. In under an hour, Kaien was out like he'd just challenged Matsumoto to a drinking contest.

Ichigo snorted lightly in amusement when Kaien started snoring. He carefully rose from the couch so as not to wake the other man, but Ichigo was pretty sure Rukia's house could cave-in and Kaien wouldn't even flutter an eyelid. Ichigo just didn't want to have to sit through another episode of something like, 'drunk 20-somethings with too much time on their hands'. He yawned and shuffled towards the door to head to the guesthouse, when a short dark form standing behind him made him freeze.

"Rukia?" he whispered.

She stepped closer and Ichigo's eyes adjusted so he could see her more clearly. She tilted her head and Ichigo thought she might have been smiling or smirking at him. "I hope you guys weren't watching Chappy without me." She teased lightly.

Ichigo rolled his eyes and stepped away from the snoozing shinigami on the couch. Rukia put a blanket over Kaien before she came up to Ichigo.

"He said he had a nightmare and couldn't sleep." Ichigo explained.

Rukia's eyes lowered and she nodded. "That happened before you got here. It was pretty bad…" Rukia let her sentence hang off and Ichigo felt guilty for not being there, but Rukia didn't let him wallow for long. "We'll talk about it tomorrow. Come on." Rukia gripped his hand and started pulling him towards the stairs.

Ichigo's stomach flipped nervously. "Wha…what are you doing?"

Rukia didn't say anything, but instead stopped climbing the stairs and pushed Ichigo against the wall next to them. She stopped on a higher step than Ichigo and used the height to grab his face and kiss him.

Ichigo sucked in a breath and shot his arms up to hold her. He pulled her hard against him and Rukia responded by kissing with the same force. Ichigo opened his mouth for a second and Rukia's tongue drove right in, making him weak in the knees. So weak in fact, Ichigo started lowering Rukia onto the stairs and wrapped her legs around him as he kneeled in front of her on a lower step.

It was a little awkward, but it felt _so_ good. He couldn't remember the last time he'd kissed Rukia like this, which he realized, was probably unhealthy since it couldn't have been more than a few days… but did he mention how good it felt?

One hand kept him from crushing Rukia with his weight while the other glided under her shirt and over her stomach. She was so soft and she was really warm. He felt a small moan resonate from Rukia as they continued to kiss and Ichigo let his hand wander a little more. He caressed her back, pleasantly finding she wasn't wearing any undergarment with her pajamas, but then he lost all sense when Rukia's hand cupped the growing bulge in his pants.

He broke the kiss to groan and leaned into her palm, rubbing her harder against him. Rukia wrapped her legs tighter and sucked along his jaw as her hand fondled him more forcefully through his pants. Ichigo was panting and literally putty…well…very very firm putty, in Rukia's hands, but he managed to whisper a hoarse sentence before he lost all control and took Rukia right there on the stairs.

"Wh-what about K-Kaien?" Ichigo breathed.

Rukia paused with her ministrations and Ichigo bit his lip to keep from whining. "I'm a little disturbed you're thinking about him." Rukia grumbled before taking his bruised lip into her own mouth. "But don't worry. He's a heavy sleeper."

Ichigo gave her a forceful kiss to confirm he was only thinking about her before he continued. "I mean…Aren't you…uh…confused?"

Rukia pulled back again and further away from Ichigo. She frowned at him, now looking confused. "What are you talking about? Why would I be confused?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes at having to explain and not having her touch him. He never should have said anything.

"What are you talking about?" Rukia asked again with an edge of irritation in her voice.

Ichigo scowled at her and shrugged. "Well the guy you were pining over-"

"I don't pine! Who told you I was pining?!"

Ichigo shushed her, not caring if Kaien was dead to the world downstairs, there was still her brother to worry about. Now that Ichigo's mind was functioning, the proper amount of fear had settled in. "I don't know if you were pining, but everyone in Soul Society-"

Rukia interrupted by groaning loudly and shoving Ichigo off of her. His long limbs and the cramped space kept him from doing a somersault down the stairs.

"I called you on your idiotic jealousy this morning! When are you going to get it through your thick obnoxious skull that you don't have to worry about Kaien?" Her eyes widened momentarily in realization and then narrowed at him. "That's why you were out so damn late! I thought your family gave you a hard time or you ran into a hollow, but you've just been sulking all this time!"

Ichigo picked himself up and pressed his forehead against Rukia's as they faced off. "I wasn't sulking! A man has to think things through Rukia! I was trying to be mature and shit and give you space until you settled things with your precious _Kaien-dono_!" Ichigo mocked in a falsetto.

"There isn't anything to settle with Kaien!" Rukia thundered back. "I love _you_ Ichigo! I'm with _you_ Ichigo! I want _you_ Ichigo!" She planted a flat hand on his shocked face and pushed him down the stairs while she stomped to her room.

Ichigo stared stupidly from the bottom step he landed on and Rukia turned around once more to face him. "If you ever make me say that corny stuff again because you're too retarded to remember everything we've been through, I will physically force your Shakespeare volumes so far down your throat so that you won't be able to ask where the bathroom is before vomiting up a sonnet!"

"Love you too." Ichigo croaked before Rukia slammed and locked her door.

He _really_ should have kept his mouth shut.

Ichigo hobbled past Kaien, who amazingly, was still sleeping like a baby on the couch, and made his way to the guest…_doghouse_ that night…right after stopping to take a cold shower.

* * *

The next morning, Ichigo Rukia, and Kaien walked to school and met Renji along the way. Ichigo, despite being thrown down a flight of stairs and left alone with a raging erection the night before, was in a great mood. Kaien had basically called Rukia a sister and Rukia had called Ichigo an idiot for thinking otherwise. What more could he ask for? 

Well…he did manage to scowl at the sidewalk the entire walk, thinking about what a waste it was to buy a motorcycle if he couldn't even ride it to school… It kept him from thinking about what would have happened last night if he hadn't brought up Kaien; therefore keeping his tight school pants nicely flat.

"Walking sucks." Ichigo muttered as they got onto school grounds. Groups of students were already staring at them. The little incident at the grocery store was probably all over the school about now and Ichigo kept catching snippets of students conversations as they strode towards their class.

"…I think his name is Shiba…."

"…Wow! He's so cute!…"

"…they could be twins..."

"…I hate Kuchiki…"

"…He has tattoos too…"

Ichigo scowled harder as the rest of his company seemed unaffected by the whispers around them. Kaien was smiling like he didn't have a care in the world and Rukia was pointing out various facts about high schools to prepare him.

Ichigo turned to Renji and finally saw the Pineapple frown in acknowledgement to the ruckus Kaien was causing. Renji turned towards him and shoved his hands in his pockets. "How come Shiba gets such a warm welcome? When I got here all I heard were girls shaking in their skirts over my tattoos and hair."

"They're kind of hard to miss." Ichigo pointed out. Before Renji could pout and complain some more, Rukia pulled Ichigo to the side.

"Renji could you show Kaien-dono where our classroom is? I need to talk with Ichigo."

Renji crossed his arms. "You're the boss…apparently."

Renji and Kaien made their way through the student body and gaggles of girls followed behind them. Maybe that would stop Renji's bitching.

"What's up?" Ichigo asked Rukia when the others left.

Rukia crossed her arms and rose an eyebrow at him. "I want you to spend time with Kaien today."

Ichigo sneered. "Why? You're the human expert right? Don't you wanna show off and prove how superior you are?"

Rukia smiled smugly and closed her eyes. "I don't need to prove my superiority when you make me look so good in comparison."

Ichigo just narrowed his eyes and waited for her ego to deflate so she could explain.

"I think you two would really get along if you pulled your head from a certain dark orifice. I've seen from last night that you _can_ be nice, so I'm asking you to do it some more today. Kaien needs to know he's not alone." Rukia stated calmly.

Ichigo scowled and squirmed uncomfortably. He knew Rukia was playing the girlfriend card and he really didn't like it. He felt like a jackass. "Rukia…" He started, not knowing exactly how to hand over his balls on a platter, but Rukia held up her hand.

"Before you say anything," Rukia said as she stepped closer. "I'm willing to make it worth your while."

Ichigo looked expectedly towards the nearest empty closet, but Rukia instead turned away towards their class. He followed her with a scowl on his face, a little apprehensive on what Rukia was going to do…especially if it involved others watching…

As they entered the class, Rukia threw something into the garbage before sitting serenely in her seat around their friends. Ichigo leaned against his desk and heard Renji say that Kaien was waiting to make his big introduction.

Ichigo didn't know why all new students had to do that…

"Kuchiki-san is that a hickey?!"

All heads, including Ichigo's, turned towards the loud and proud Chizuru as she pointed dramatically at a little…well not so little…dark mark on Rukia's neck that was no longer hiding beneath a Chappy band-aid.

Tatsuki, Orihime, Mahana, Michiru, and even Ryo, leaned nosily towards Rukia neck to see for themselves.

"Jeez Rukia." Tatsuki exclaimed. "Are you sure you don't just wanna stamp 'property of Kurosaki Ichigo' on your forehead? It's probably less painful."

Orihime quirked her head, still analyzing Rukai's neck. "But it's nowhere near as fun." She mused.

"Orihime!"

"I'm sorry!" Orihime pulled back with a small blush and concentrated on Rukia again. "I think it's neat to see how much Kurosaki-kun and Kuchiki-san care about each other."

Tatsuki folded her arms in disagreement. "You think broken blood vessels are declarations of love?"

"For them? Absolutely!" Orihime giggled and gave Ichigo an overexaggerated wink.

He wasn't quite sure how to react, but Rukia seemed to have her act down.

She flipped her hair coyly and giggled. "Oh um…no…of course it's not a…hickey..." She responded sweetly with a weak denial. "I um…I just…um…burned myself with a hair curler...?" She giggled again and gave Ichigo a completely _un_subtle glance along with a fake blush. "Ichigo is too much of a gentleman to completely sweep me off my feet and kiss me until I was seeing stars."

The way she was talking was aggravating as hell, but boy if those words didn't cause Ichigo to subconsciously puff his chest out.

Mizuiro clapped Ichigo on the back proudly. "Wow Ichigo, what a stud huh?" A few other boys from class gave him knowing winks for 'laying claim to Kuchiki Rukia' and even though it was immature and stupid…Ichigo couldn't help but feel his ego swell.

Keigo came over with a gaping mouth. "I can't believe our cherished Kuchiki-san let you mark her like that! It's like she wants everyone to know you totally own her!"

"That really doesn't seem like Rukia." Chad said with a knowing side-glance.

Ichigo rubbed his neck awkwardly. "She said she burned it with some hair crap. Don't look at me." But inside he was grinning like a madman. He'd spent so much time feeling insecure about Rukia's feelings after Kaien arrived, feeling afraid that he'd lose her, that even though the attention was embarrassing, it was somewhat of a relief for Rukia to broadcast their relationship like that. She'd yelled at him for treating her like cattle he'd branded, but now she was showing it off just to boost his ego.

"I saw her with a band-aid on her neck earlier." Keigo whined perceptively. "She threw it away and now she's showing off! Ichigo you're sooooo lucky! I hate you! Please teach me!"

Ichigo ignored the begging brunette and fought to keep a scowl on his face. "Whatever you guys. You sound like a bunch of chicks gossiping."

Keigo groaned again. "The girls _were_ talking about some hot new guy, but now they're going to be talking about you!"

"Do you have some sort of high school reputation publicist Ichigo?" Mizuiro asked. Ichigo snorted and shook his head.

"Did you pay her to let you do that?" Ishida asked snidely.

"What?! No!" Ichigo cried out and crossed his arms. "I wouldn't have to pay Rukia…and she said it was a burn anyway." Ichigo said with a small grin.

Rukia was still surrounded trying to look innocently guilty…her and her acting…while the girls cooed and teased her. A few threw some coy glances at Ichigo and giggled at his manliness. At least he assumed that's what they were giggling at.

Renji popped into his vision with a frown. "When'd you two get time to make out yesterday?"

"Ah, but she said it was a hair curler." Chad smirked lightly. "Right Ichigo?"

Ichigo grinned at his tall friend. "Exactly Chad. You're above all this crap as usual."

Renji groaned at what had become an inside joke and slumped into his seat. The rest of the class eventually settled when Ochi-sensei came into the room. When she started talking about how fun her weekend was away from the students, Rukia leaned over towards Ichigo.

"Did that barbaric display of cavemen courtship ease your moronic brooding?" Rukia asked in a whisper.

"Oh I think Kaien and I are going to be best friends after this." Ichigo replied back with a smirk.

"You know that's the last time I'll ever do something like that again right? The next time you get stupid I'm just going to hit you."

Ichigo stared at Rukia with a smile in his eyes to let her know he really appreciated what she did. He didn't drop his gaze until a sincere grin appeared on her face as well. Then he leaned a little closer. "Just so you know…showing some skin would have worked too."

Rukia shoved him away good-naturedly just as Ochi-sensei announced they were getting _another_ new student. The classroom door opened and Ichigo could have sworn a choir sounded and a spotlight hit Kaien as he walked through the door sparkling brightly.

"Good morning everyone!" Kaien beamed politely and bowed. "I'm Shiba Kaien and I'm glad I'll be able to finish the school year here at Karakura. It's wonderful to meet you all!"

Almost every girls' jaw hit their desk and Ichigo's hand hit his forehead.

Kaien just _had_ to be the cheesy, perfect, schoolboy to match Rukia's winsome schoolgirl. Ichigo turned a glare at Rukia who was smiling proudly at her hideous creation. Ichigo so wanted to put an entirely different kind of bruise on Rukia now…He'd promised to hang out with Kaien all day and now he had to put up with that crappy act!

"Damn it…" Ichigo groaned in defeat.

Kaien just smiled at the ogling faces in front of him and turned towards Ochi-sensei. "Was that a good enough introduction Ochi-sensei? I'd hate to disappoint you on my first day."

The teacher just stared at him with stars in her eyes. "Are you sure you're in high school? You're so handsome and strong and—"

"Ochi-sensei!" Keigo cried out. "You can't hit on the new student!"

"Oh be quiet Asano. You hit on everyone, give others a chance."

Kaien's smile faltered as Ochi-sensei held onto his shoulders to personally escort him to a seat. She kicked Ishida out of his spot in the front row and sat Kaien where she'd be able to stare at him all day long.

Needless to say, the first hour of class wasn't very productive. Most of it was spent in a question and answer format, all centering on Kaien and how he was adjusting to Karakura.

At first Ichigo was amused at how Kaien would handle himself since he didn't even remember enough about his own life to make up lies, but it got old fast when all the girls started asking more personal questions.

"What does your tattoo mean Shiba-kun?"

"It's a symbol of my family." Kaien answered simply.

The girls gushed. "That's so sweet! He's a family man!"

Chizuru put a hand on Kaien's arm. Apparently he was pretty enough for her tastes… "Are you getting along better with your _cousin_ Kurosaki-kun?"

"Oh yeah." Kaien nodded. "He's been great showing me around town with Kuchiki-san."

"Do you have a girlfriend?" All the girls, including Ochi-sensei, leaned close as Mahana asked the question of the day.

Ichigo almost threw up at the horribly fake expression that Rukia must have passed on, as Kaien's eyes watered forlornly. "I'm afraid I had to leave my special someone behind. I can only hope that one day we'll be reunited and I can feel complete again."

"_AWWWW_!!!"

"That's it, I gotta yak." Ichigo stood quickly and strode uneasily towards the door. He couldn't stand any more of this display. Having Rukia do it was bad enough. At least she looked…it hurt to admit it…kinda, maybe, sort of, a little bit…cute when she was completely fake. But Kaien's performance was bringing back Ichigo's breakfast.

"I'll go with you Kurosaki-san!" Kaien stood and followed much to Ichigo's chagrin. "I need to know where the restrooms are after all."

Ichigo let Kaien come after him, but as soon as they were in the empty hall, he heard Kaien let out a huge breath of air.

"Holy shit that's hard to keep up!" he grumped out. Ichigo paused on his way to the bathroom and appraised Kaien.

"You were the one doing it. Trying to suck up to everyone in there." Ichigo scolded the older man.

Kaien just shook his head, looking as if he'd just been chased by hollows. "Rukia told me to do that. She said human students were easier to get along with when you acted that way."

Ichigo snorted. "She means they're easier to manipulate if they're stupid enough to fall for it."

Kaien smirked and nodded in agreement. "Apparently. But I'm not so sure it's worth it. I feel like an ass and I can't believe they're buying all my crap."

"Tell me about it." Ichigo said. He was glad he wasn't the only one Kaien's act was making sick. "You don't have to act that way though. Rukia just gets some warped sense of power when everyone thinks she's sweet and innocent."

"She gets away with shit doesn't she?" Kaien asked.

"It's annoying as hell." Ichigo confirmed.

"Was that her voice I heard before I came in? All sickly sweet and a few frequencies higher than it should be?"

"Yes." Ichigo admitted.

"And did she…giggle?"

Ichigo shuddered in answer and Kaien sneered. "You should tell her it's scary as fuck."

"Oh she knows that. That's why she does it."

They spent a few more minutes agreeing on how sadistic Kuchiki Rukia could be before ambling off towards the roof to wait for the lunch period. No one would bother asking where they were; Ichigo could just say he was giving Kaien a tour of the school.

They hung out together and Ichigo found it increasingly difficult to dislike Kaien the more time he spent with him. It really was no wonder why Rukia took a liking to the guy. Especially after dealing with Renji and Byakuya for most of her life. Kaien was good company.

Ichigo wondered what Kaien would be like when his memory returned. It was sure to put a damper on his spirits and Ichigo realized why Rukia was trying so hard to keep Kaien happy. He probably wouldn't have much to be happy about when he remembered everything.

"You know, you remind me a lot of my younger brother." Kaien said.

Ichigo dropped his jaw indignantly. "No way! Ganju's a big-mouthed thug! I'm nothing like that jackass!"

Kaien regarded Ichigo. "You've met Ganju?" he asked slowly.

Ichigo stopped glaring when he heard Kaien's softer tone and calmed down. "Yeah. The first time I went to Soul Society. Ganju was one of the first guys I met." Kaien kept looking at him, waiting for more, so Ichigo continued with a shrug. "I guess he wasn't so bad. He did help me save Rukia and risked his life. Sort of. He was kinda useless for awhile… I just couldn't stand him when I first met him."

Kaien looked down to the ground. "He's all grown up huh?"

Ichigo suddenly realized how rashly he spoke. Kaien could remember bits of his family, but it was impossible for him to remember what happened to them _after_ he'd died. Not to mention all the undeserved bitterness towards Rukia the Shiba clan was just getting over.

Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck. "It's almost lunch time. Did you get the bento Rukia packed for ya?"

Kaien sat quietly for a second then smiled. "Yeah. As much as she bitches about cooking for everyone, I think she likes taking care of people."

Ichigo snorted. "She likes acting like she's better than everyone. Whatever works for her."

Kaien ruffled Ichigo's orange locks. "Aw, you kids are so cute! Still calling each other names and pulling pigtails."

"Shut up." Ichigo whined. He felt odd for a second. He'd always had people making fun of him, and he was surrounded by his fair share of crazies…but he'd never been around someone who was like an older brother. Ichigo was the eldest child in his family, so it was strange for someone to tease him so familiarly. Not that he liked it or anything like that…

"Look, the estranged Kurosaki twins are bonding!" Renji called out. He, Rukia, and the rest of the group made it up towards the roof as lunchtime had arrived.

Rukia sat next to Ichigo, who was still fixing his hair, with a smirk. "I'm glad to see both of you alive and not in the middle of some fight to the death."

Kaien leaned back on his palms. "We did that already. Kurosaki needs some practice."

"Yeah right, you geezer." Ichigo shot back before jerking his face away from Orihime who was on her hands and knees scrutinizing Ichigo and Kaien. She kept going back and forth with wide eyes.

"Wow!" she exclaimed. "You both look so much alike! I almost believed it when Chizuru said you were brothers!"

Tatsuki nodded with a frown. "Yeah, it's kinda weird. I think two Ichigo's is way too many. One is annoying enough."

"I agree." Ishida rang in.

Rukia had filled in the human portion of the group shortly after Kaien's arrival. She said she was dreading her phone bill the next month, but thought talking to everyone beforehand and explaining the situation would be better than having the group fire questions at Kaien. Ichigo agreed as long as he wasn't the one to make the phone calls.

"I think it's incredible!" Orihime chimed. "If Kurosaki-kun dyed his hair black and got some contact lenses, you two could be real twins! Only one of you would have to become evil." She explained with Orihime-logic.

"I'll bet I could pick out the evil one right now." Renji grinned as he played along.

Ichigo just glared at him and started eating his lunch. He really didn't want Rukia swiping his again.

"Shiba-kun," Orihime offered as everyone took out their lunches. "Would you like to try my dessert? I made more than enough to share with everyone."

The group practically dive-bombed towards whatever culinary monstrosity Orihime had made, but Kaien had already gobbled it up. Rukia had mentioned earlier that the man had a killer sweet tooth... It was about to be the death of him.

Ichigo waited to see Orihime's '_dessert_' make a reappearance onto the concrete, but instead Kaien beamed.

"That's amazing!" Kaien shouted and threw his arms into the air with genuine glee.

"Really?!" Orihime cried back, unaware of everyone's disgusted expressions.

Kaien nodded enthusiastically. "That's gotta be the best thing I've ever put in my mouth!"

"Don't say it Keigo!" Ichigo and Tatsuki interjected.

Orihime naively continued rejoicing with Kaien. "No one else really likes my cooking except for Matsumoto-san!"

The former lieutenant gaped at her. "You're kidding me. You should start teaching Kuchiki how to cook."

"Hey!" Rukia objected to deaf ears.

"Do you have anything else I could try?" Kaien pushed Rukia's glaring face away and dug into Orihime's large homemade cuisine. Orihime was notorious for really packing it away…

Ishida shook his head and adjusted his frames. "That's just another thing I can't stand about shinigami. They have no sense in fashion or taste in fo—Uh, Inoue-san, I thought those pickled pork muffins were for me?" Ishida let an uncommon weak expression fall on his face as Kaien picked up the special tupperware from Orihime's sack labeled, "_Ishida's Lunchtime Love Snacks_!"

Ichigo balked at the sentimentality, but he did enjoy how he wasn't the only one who's girlfriend was preoccupied with the dark haired newcomer.

Orihime paused while Kaien drooled over the unopened package calling out to him and tilted her head kindly at Ishida. "Oh I know I made these especially for you Ishida-kun, but Shiba-kun really likes them!"

Ichigo jumped on the chance to kick the Quincy while he was down. "Yeah Ishida, don't get jealous that another man appreciates your girlfriend's _cooking_ skills. You're too mature for that right?"

Ishida glared heatedly before grabbing the food from Kaien's hands and shoveling the entire contents of his '_love snacks_' down his gullet before anyone could object.

Everyone stared and even Orihime's eyes widened at his display. "Sorry _gulp_ Inoue-san." Ishida apologized as he swallowed everything down. "But a promise is a promise and I have grown fond of your treats for me. Perhaps Kaien could try something else for now."

Orihime pulled Ishida into a hug, not noticing the color drain from his face as whatever he just ate settled into his stomach. "You're right Ishida-kun! Forgive me for trying to give away your snacks, I didn't know you liked them so much! I'll make sure to make more from now on!"

Chad shook his head and muttered. "I'm glad I'm still single."

Chad solicited the rare laugh from the group before Ishida collapsed and they had to carry him to the nurse's office. Ishida had to decide whether to get his stomach pumped or let the food pass…naturally…either way, the rest of the group, minus Orihime, left him on his own.

The rest of the day was almost…pleasant actually. Ichigo didn't feel so much as a babysitter as he thought he would be when Rukia first asked…forced…him to spend time with Kaien. Kaien had even dropped the goody-two-shoes act. When Rukia asked why, he responded by saying he was charming enough as it was, and he didn't want to drive the whole female population over the edge.

Ichigo scoffed, but Kaien wasn't actually bragging. Not only did girly cliques giggle and faint around him during and in-between classes, but there was a not-so-sneaky mob of them following Ichigo, Renji, and Kaien on the walk home to Rukia's after she took off for work.

"Do human girls always do that?" Kaien asked as they neared the woods by Rukia's house. "And do they realize I can hear them talking about my butt?"

"It's sooo cute!" One of the random females shrilled behind them.

Renji walked with his arms crossed loosely behind his head. "I like compliments as much as any guy…except maybe you Kurosaki," He said with a smirk. Ichigo growled and Renji continued. "But I never knew women could be as shallow us."

"Speak for yourself." Ichigo said lowly. His patience was reaching his limit and he wondered if attacking a mob of idiot fangirls counted as striking a woman…

"Don't be sore Ichigo." Kaien teased. "You're probably their _third_ favorite because you're so devoted to Kuchiki."

"Actually," Renji corrected needlessly, "I think they said Ichigo's a little too scrawny."

Kaien nodded. "Ah, and he's shorter than us."

"And he doesn't have any tattoos."

"That they _know_ about." Kaien added.

"Would you two shut up already?!" Ichigo shouted. Before he could swing his bag at Renji's skull, a comment from the mob reached his ears.

"See, that's why I prefer Shiba-kun. Kurosaki-kun's got all those ugly wrinkles on his face and you just know he's going to look like a grandpa by the time he's 20."

"That's it!" Ichigo ground his teeth together before rounding on the estrogen teeming crowd behind them. "Get the hell away from us! Don't you know stalking's illegal! Find something better to do damn it!"

A few girls screamed and ran, but the brave ones held back. "Kurosaki-kun…moisturizer would really help with those lines—"

"Ahh!!" Ichigo roared effectively.

The rest of the girls cried out again, "We'll just bring your homework to school tomorrow Abarai-kun, Shiba-kun!" And then they fled down the path creating a giant dust storm in the wake of their retreat.

Ichigo turned towards his semi-wanted company. "Wait, you have them doing your homework for you?!"

Renji and Kaien exchanged a look and shrugged. "Abarai said it was best to put them to use if they were gonna follow us around like that. And I agreed with him."

"I can't be stuck doing stupid human homework while I'm here on vacation." Renji offered.

Ichigo deflated and drudged the rest of the way home. "You bastards annoy me so much."

When they walked through the door, Byakuya was waiting for them, almost expectantly. Ichigo wondered what the infamous captain of the 6th squad did all day while he was home alone…and also if he knew about his and Rukia's little stair encounter…

"Where's Rukia?" Byakuya asked plainly.

"Nice to see you too, our day was freaking great." Ichigo responded sarcastically.

Renji called out to his captain from—where else—the fridge. "Rukia's gone off to work Taicho. It's just the four of us until she gets home."

"Ah yes." Byakuya nodded and sat regally on a cushion on Rukia's floor. "And what job are you currently employed at _boy_?"

Ichigo's rolled his neck on his shoulders and imagined the satisfying pops were really the sound of him banging flower-captain's head against the floor. "Apparently I'm your babysitter today." Ichigo said instead of the truth about his being fired recently.

"I do not need a caregiver." Byakuya said coldly.

"Well I'm bored." Kaien admitted loosely. "What do we do without Kuchiki around?"

Ichigo sat and stared at the rest of the members of the "I love Rukia club". If they weren't fighting or eating, there really wasn't much for them to do together…Byakuya was such a buzz kill anyway…

"Uh…" Ichigo couldn't believe he was going to say what he was about to say… "We could play a board game."

"That sounds exciting." Renji muttered dryly.

Ichigo frowned. "Not a bored game, a board…Fuck, I'll just show you."

Byakuya blinked as Ichigo got up to retrieve what he had in mind for present company. "I do not wish to sit around and play games."

"Oh trust me, you'll like this game." Ichigo called out from the other room.

"What is it?" Renji asked back in a curious yell.

Ichigo came back into the room and sat down at the coffee table. He dropped the game in place and the men looked at him expectantly. "It's called Monopoly."

For having never played the game in his life, Byakuya was a freaking natural. It really wasn't fair. "I told you your fangs would never reach me." Byakuya gloated while Renji's little dog figurine landed right on a hotel property. Byakuya, of course, was the top hat.

"I'll give you my get out of jail free card?" Renji offered with a pleading smile.

"Knowing you Abarai, you'll be needing it later." Byakuya responded and settled for all the rest of Renji's meager cards and a completed stack of real paper work when he returned to Seireitei.

"I hate this game." Renji moaned.

"What the hell is a railroad and why do I want all four?" Kaien asked for the sixth time.

Ichigo was about to throw the whole game board and himself along with it out the window, when _finally_, Rukia arrived home. She was also smart enough to cover up her neck again. Ichigo was grateful, because the last thing he needed was another way to piss of Byakuya.

"Wow. I'm really impressed." Rukia smiled at the grown men sitting on the floor with tiny game pieces and fake money in their hands. "I was _not_ expecting this."

"Does it count as breaking the rules if your brother royally kicked our asses at this game?" Kaien asked as he fell victim to another hotel.

Rukia laughed. "You guys can keep playing, I'll go start dinner."

All four of Rukia's guests jumped up. "No! We're done!" Renji shouted and kicked the game board over as if it never happened.

"I'll help you cook!" Ichigo offered quickly as Rukia frowned at the new mess on her floor.

"Actually Rukia," Byakuya stepped forward and wiped invisible dust from his robes. "I believe I will take my leave tonight."

"I'll get your stuff!" Ichigo fought to keep the elation from his face.

Rukia threw a glare at the three younger men. "Did something happen while I was gone?"

"No." Byakuya answered with his usual disdain. "I just find the human realm to be…insufferable."

"I think he's sugar coating it." Kaien teased the man's tone.

Byakuya didn't bother to respond and kept his gaze on Rukia. "I have simply concluded my observations here and it is high time I return to my division."

"It's not going to implode without you Taicho." Renji frowned and Ichigo almost kicked the red head for keeping Byakuya around for a second longer.

Byakuya turned to Renji, arching his brow only slightly. "Would you like to go in my stead and start what you promised during our game play?"

Renji quickly caught the threat and smiled fearfully. "You're right Kuchiki-taicho. I'll bet the men are going crazy without ya. They miss yer…uh…leadership and what not…"

Rukia, Ichigo, and Kaien rolled their eyes. "Nice save."

"Shut up." Renji frowned at all of them and Byakuya held in an impatient sigh.

"Yes. I've overstayed my limits."

"You can come back anytime you wish Nii-sama." Rukia smiled, trying to hide the relief Ichigo was currently biting his tongue to keep from slipping.

"Thank you." Byakuya's eyes darkened and he continued. "I would enjoy not having to visit this world because of the previous altercation."

Ichigo cringed and Rukia chuckled weakly. "R-right. I'm sure that won't be an issue."

"You're to be staying close by at all times correct Shiba?"

"Oh I'll keep an eye on the kids." Kaien promised and slapped Ichigo roughly on the back.

Byakuya didn't take anymore time for pleasantries and glided out the door with a hell butterfly already waiting for him. Ichigo assumed the man was bored out of his mind without any of his minions to order or anyone else to dictate while he'd spent he day alone. Ichigo also noticed the toaster was in the microwave but decided if he valued his life he'd just keep it to himself…

As soon as Byakuya left, it seemed as if a giant blanket was lifted from the house and the air was breathable again. Renji, Ichigo, Rukia, and Kaien finally let out all they'd been holding in. Posture broke, shoulders slumped, and Renji scratched himself.

"Finally." Ichigo breathed deeply again and let his head hang in relaxation. "You have the scariest older brother in any world Rukia."

Rukia's eyes agreed but her mouth retorted. "Well maybe you should take notes. It won't be long until your sisters start dating after all."

…

"Bitch." Was all Ichigo could muster with that unpleasant fact seeping into his mind now.

"So what do we do with that wet blanket gone?" Kaien wondered aloud.

Ichigo scratched his head. The world seemed full of possibilities without Rukia's brother watching over them, one eager zanpakuto slice away from killing them all. But Renji had his own ideas and was already grabbing Kaien by the shoulders and taking two jackets.

"I've been waiting for Taicho to finally leave!" Renji cried out. "We're going to some bars." He exclaimed bodly.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Count me out. I'm never drinking with you guys again." He glared at Rukia. "Especially you."

Rukia's arms crossed but Renji snorted. "Who said I was inviting you Carrot top? You and Rukia can't get into where Kaien and I are going. Rukia's of age, but she sure as hell doesn't look it."

Rukia frowned at Renji reproachfully. "You can't just take Kaien out to get drunk and pick up women."

"But I like that idea." Kaien pointed out.

"Because," Rukia reminded harshly. "Urahara said Ichigo and I need to keep our reiatsu's around yours. We don't know what could happen."

Renji paused in pushing Kaien through the door. "Yeah…about that."

Rukia threw her head back in exasperation, while Ichigo yelled. "I knew it! He was just bullshitting us wasn't he?!"

Renji put his hands up. "You know Urahara. But he told me not to tell you and he said it was safer that first night anyway. For yours _and_ Kaien's sake."

Ichigo snarled at his so-called friend. "If you knew that the whole time, why didn't you just take Kaien and Byakuya out to drink earlier? Then I could have actually done my homework, since I'm not the one who's got a fanclub doing it for me!"

Renji stood his place and cocked his tattooed eyebrow. "Would you ever drag your boss out drinking with you?"

Alright, Renji had a point there. Especially considering Ichigo's last boss was Ishida Ryuuken. Byakuya or Ishida…neither one was the best guy for a drinking buddy.

"That's what I thought." Renji grinned smugly and grabbed Kaien's arm. "You're gonna love the crazy shit humans do when they drink."

"Renji!" Rukia called out before the two lieutenants got too far. "Don't do anything too crazy. And don't stay out too late. And make sure—"

"Kuchiki!" Kaien interrupted. "You want me to give you a lecture of my own?" He looked meaningfully from Rukia to Ichigo and back again before Rukia backed off. "I don't wanna have to spell out the birds and the bees for ya. We saw that thing on your neck today. Live it up a little now that your brother's gone."

"Kaien-dono!" Rukia's fists clenched in angry embarrassment and Ichigo's mind flashed at how alone he and Rukia were going to be.

Alone. In the house. By themselves. No Byakuya. He was getting redundant, but also extremely excited.

Ichigo grabbed Rukia by the arm and pulled her inside the doorway. He waved excitedly at Renji and Kaien. "Have fun, see ya, bye!" Then he slammed the door and turned to Rukia.

They stood in complete silence for several moments. Each minute that went by signified how far Renji and Kaien were getting away from the house and sealed the privacy they'd had such a lack of lately.

Ichigo's pulse quickened and he grinned ferally at the short, sexy, shinigami in front of him "What do you wanna do Rukia?" his voice came out hoarser than he thought, but Rukia finally let a smile of her own slip from her previously stern expression.

"First things first Ichigo. I want a ride on that motorcycle."

* * *

_AN: I want to thank everyone for being so patient in waiting for chapters. If I could update every few days I totally would, but my capacity for Bleach Wit reaches a limit before I have to stop and take a break. Your support and encouragement is great though, and it's a big factor in how much I devote to this story. So thanks so much! As always, comments, critiques, reviews, criticisms, are always welcome and appreciated! I don't want people to be afraid to tell me that something isn't working. If it's a real problem then I can work on it and improve my skills. Thanks so much for reading! Could my story get any freaking longer, lol? The answer is yes...sigh Lol!_

_Oh, and please forgive any typos and what not. I do try and edit my own work, but as any writer knows, it's kinda hard to do. Little things are so easy to miss. So sorry in advance for when you come across those. I'm still working on accuracy while keeping up my pace. But I'm definitely working on it! Thanks again!_


	25. Cherish

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. I own a lot of other junk though. I'm a packrat, can't seem to let it go._

* * *

Chapter 25: Cherish

* * *

At first when Rukia hopped on the back of Ichigo's motorcycle and he tore down the road, she held on for dear life screaming curses in his ear. She would have knocked his head clean off, but because he was driving, it wasn't really an option. 

Then Ichigo slowed down a bit and let Rukia get used to the sensation. She hadn't actually ridden in too many other human vehicles. She had ridden a bus a few times and a car even less. She found them both cramped and boring and completely incomparable to traveling with shun po.

But the motorcycle was the polar opposite. Wind stung her eyes, bugs hit her face, she couldn't hear a thing over the engine, her skirt—why did Ichigo even let her wear a skirt?—flew up indecently, and every part of her body that wasn't hugging Ichigo, was freezing cold.

So obviously she was absolutely in love with it!

After they did a few lovely scenic tours in the area around Rukia house, she pressed herself to Ichigo and told him to stop driving like Ishida's grandmother and show her some speed.

She ended up losing a shoe, but it was worth it!

At the end of the ride, Rukia was shaking so badly from the engine and the adrenaline, it took her a few moments to realized they'd stopped at her house.

"You okay Rukia?" Ichigo asked and looked backwards from the front of the seat with a smug, proud grin.

Alright, so he'd impressed her. He didn't have to act as if it were such a big deal. Rukia rolled her eyes but didn't relent from her Ichigo-squeezing position. "I can't move." She mumbled into his back.

Ichigo laughed and Rukia could physically feel his ego inflating. He lifted himself from the motorcycle, effectively carrying Rukia with him like a wraparound backpack. His hands went to hold her legs as he climbed her porch steps, but he paused when he felt bare skin. Rukia smirked and could picture the look of embarrassment on his face.

"Shit Rukia, you wore a skirt? You can't wear a skirt on a motorcycle!"

"You saw me before I got on. Do you think I can magically grow pants when the occasion calls for it?"

Ichigo's throat growled and when they got inside her house he tossed her haphazardly from his back and onto the couch. Rukia stifled a giggle and pulled her skirt down to a safe level while Ichigo sat heavily beside her with stained cheeks and crossed arms.

"You probably flashed half of Karakura. I hope you're happy." Ichigo complained.

Rukia patted blindly at her mussed windblown hair, and lifted a leg to lazily kick her sulking partner. "Don't be such a baby. We kept to back roads and didn't even go into town. The only one who got a peek at my underwear was probably some fuzzy little squirrel." She kept poking him with her foot until he caught it and grabbed both of her ankles. His frown rose into a smirk and he pulled both of her legs towards him and flipped her onto his lap.

Rukia fought him for about a millisecond before placing her hands around his neck and fingering the soft hairs at the nape of his neck. Ichigo's large hands settled nicely on her waist and Rukia sighed in contentment.

Ichigo's thumbs curled under the hem of her shirt and lightly rubbed her stomach. "So, what'd you think?" He gazed at her with an arrogant expression and Rukia decided his ego had enough bloating to last him at least a month. She wiped off her gleeful smile and closed her eyes disdainfully. "Eh." Rukia shrugged.

" 'Eh'?" Ichigo repeated with skeptical eyes. "All you can say is 'eh'? Did Byakuya take your sense of fun and smash it with a hammer before he left?"

"Nii-sama is too dignified to smash anything with a hammer."

"You haven't seen your toaster." Ichigo muttered.

Rukia narrowed her eyes slightly, but then continued with the same uncaring expression. "My brother's assessment was correct. I can see how such a simple machine could amuse you and Renji, but I'm afraid it takes more than loud noises and shouting 'vroom, vroom' to pique my interest."

At that, Ichigo tackled her on the couch and started tickling her roughly. Rukia was shocked and pleased, Ichigo had never tickled her before, and she couldn't stop the shrill squeal that burst out.

"You're giggling Kuchiki Rukia." Ichigo grinned fiercely as he continued his attack.

Rukia writhed and struggled under him, but she restrained herself from hitting him too hard…she kind of liked his playful side… "S-stop it I-I-Ichigo!" She laughed when his fingers dipped tantalizingly under her thighs and pushed harder against him. "Stop it!" She cried again over his laughter. "W-what are you? F-f-five?!"

"Admit you loved it and I'll stop."

"Absolutely not!" Rukia cried out in determination.

Ichigo only stepped up his assault and managed to pin both of her wrists in one hand above her head. Damn her tiny body! He lifted her shirt halfway and went at her tummy without obstruction. Rukia bit her lip to keep from shouting out more laughter. How could something so stupid be so effective? She was a trained shinigami from the 13 protection squads and had found herself trapped on a couch being tickled to death! Perhaps they should include withstanding tickle torture to their training regiments.

Ichigo mercilessly sought out Rukia's weak spots and took advantage of her uncharacteristic helplessness. Rukia screamed childishly again and thrust against him when he made contact with the side of her rib cage.

"Come on Rukia." Ichigo cooed evilly. "I know you enjoyed it."

Rukia had the feeling Ichigo's words were taking on a double meaning, and her suspicions were confirmed when he placed his free hand under knee and lifted her leg to kiss her inner thigh. Rukia gasped as Ichigo tickled and kissed her with his tongue. Her bound wrists fought against his grip harder, and he only responded by kissing dangerously close to her most sensitive spot of all.

"I guess…" Rukia ground out and bit her bottom lip again. "It was alright." She admitted lightly.

She could feel Ichigo's smirk against her leg but knew he wouldn't be satisfied with her admission. Although…she didn't really want him to stop now anyway. He pulled away from her leg and leaned over her again, letting his hand glide under her thigh to cup her bottom. His face ducked over hers for a kiss and he opened his mouth against hers. He sucked out her breath and her tongue along with it as he kissed her fiercely, forcing her tongue to probe inside him. Rukia gasped into his mouth as Ichigo slipped his fingers under her panties. He squeezed her bare skin tightly, almost like a rough massage. Damn him for knowing she liked it when he was rough with her. Ichigo didn't treat her as though she were as fragile as she looked.

" 'Alright' huh? Well…" Ichigo trailed off and suddenly let go of her wrists to hoist her up onto his lap again. He firmly grasped her bottom with both hands and forcibly pushed her against his erection…not that Rukia wasn't an eager participant. She watched Ichigo's eyes fog as he visibly relished the feel of her rubbing against him before he spoke again. It was worse torture than tickling. "Did I mention that maybe… I'd let you drive next time?" he finished huskily.

"I loved it!" Rukia cried out with a groan and zero hesitancy. She was highly susceptible to bribery when it included Chappy and apparently, motorcycles. "It was fast and loud and obnoxious, just like you." She teased.

"You can't ever give me a straight compliment can you?" Ichigo was complaining, but his smile belayed any harshness to his words. He leaned his head back and _finally_ relented some control to Rukia.

Rukia swiveled her hips on top of him and drove a supremely sexy groan from his throat. She loved hearing him groan. And pant. And hiss…she loved all of his fighting noises…especially when there wasn't an enemy in sight.

She leaned forward to kiss his open neck and the first thing she did was give him a bite to match hers. Ichigo must have been expecting it, because he barely twitched under her teeth…either that or the constant pressure Rukia was applying to his lap was distracting him. She ran her hands under his shirt and along his chest as she suckled at his throat. His muscles were hard but his skin was eerily soft, and Rukia could feel his heart beating strongly beneath her hands. Her fingers detected vague scars from past battles and Rukia wanted nothing more than to explore his body at her own curious pace.

She pulled her mouth away from his neck and gave him searing wet kisses along his jaw and up to his earlobe. "Ichigo…" she whispered slowly.

"Not yet." Ichigo answered without her having to ask the question on her mind.

Rukia gently pulled her head away to look at him, but didn't feel Ichigo pause in rocking underneath her. His eyes were closed, and despite his obvious arousal, he looked relaxed. Rukia understood he was reveling in their rare privacy and wrapped one arm around his head and the other around his back to hold him closer. Her body was tensing up, but her heart was satisfied.

Ichigo placed one hand on her hip to continue their slow ministrations and the other gripped her shoulder to return her embrace. "I wanna take my time." Ichigo spoke lowly from his position in the crook of her neck. "Our first time… I don't want to just take you the first chance we get. I don't want any interruptions. I don't want any distractions. I want it to be just us. Just you and me on our terms." He emphasized his words by swirling his tongue in luxurious slow circles on her neck.

Rukia nodded against him and agreed. Their first time would be special. Their first time would be something they could always look back on and remember when times would, inevitably, get arduous. It took them so long to get to the point they were at, to rush into something so significant would be a mockery of everything they had overcome.

Of course _after_ the first time…Rukia was expecting to be thoroughly fucked against a wall if that's what she desired.

Rukia let her body roll over Ichigo's length, getting more of a feel for him in their position. Ichigo panted against her and let his hips rise to push against her more firmly. A pair of deep groans slipped out from each of them and the gentle pace they were keeping picked up a few notches…in frequency _and_ force. Rukia gripped the scruff of hair at the base of Ichigo's neck to keep her hand from going for his zipper. Everything was feeling good, _too_ good.

"Okay, time to stop." Rukia panted out before her body overtook her brain. Rukia knew Ichigo's romantic moments would be rare, _if_ they ever came up again, so she wanted to make sure the idea of their first time pulled through. Using the first few hours they were alone to get busy on a couch wasn't exactly ideal.

Ichigo moaned into her neck. Whether it was from disappointment or pleasure, she wasn't sure, but he loosened his hold on her and let Rukia climb back to her side of the couch. Rukia shook her head to collect herself, but Ichigo flopped his head right onto her lap and hugged her. At least this position was less compromising.

Rukia gathered her breath and ran her fingers through his hair. "Affectionate are we?" she teased softly.

"I'm not a dog Rukia." Ichigo murmured as he snuggled closer, wrapping one arm around her waist and the other under her thighs.

Rukia responded by scratching behind his ear before she looked at the clock. "It's later than I thought. Kaien-dono should be coming home soon."

"He doesn't have any weird drunk stages like you do does he?" Ichigo asked nuzzling into lap.

Rukia shook her head despite knowing Ichigo couldn't see it. "No. I think Kaien holds his alcohol really well. We never really went out drinking together, but I know he always had to carry Kiyone and Sentaro back to their apartments when they went out."

Ichigo started inching her skirt up with his nose. "If he has to drag Renji's ass back to Urahara's, we could probably get away with a little more then…" he kissed her thighs lightly as he revealed more skin, but Rukia playfully pulled his hair.

"Your resolve astounds me." She said sarcastically.

Ichigo continued kissing her as he spoke. "Well I just gave it more thought and maybe we should get it over with before someone else we know comes back from the dead."

Rukia yanked harder, and Ichigo's kisses stopped with a yelp. Rukia could feel him scowling, but instead of leaving her lap, he rolled over and crossed his arms behind his head comfortably.

"You know Ichigo, I just realized…" Rukia began. "You don't really have to stay here anymore now that we know Urahara wasn't serious."

"Well my dad doesn't know that." Ichigo said simply with his eyes closed. "And there's no way I'm leaving Shiba alone with you."

Rukia rolled her eyes. "Ichigo I told you—"

"I know, I know." Ichigo interrupted. "You can take care of yourself and Kaien's not like that, blah blah blah. Maybe I just like it here better okay?" He frowned at his last admission, but Rukia smiled.

He opened one eye to see her reaction and smiled back softly when he saw she wasn't annoyed with him. Rukia was finding the urge to 'get it over with' suddenly more appealing and knew she had to stay strong.

So Rukia stood up quickly, effectively knocking Ichigo from her lap and the couch. "I've been thinking there's too much white in my house." Rukia declared loudly. "What do you think about purple? Something dark like a violet…or maybe even a burgundy." She considered.

Ichigo groaned irritably as he sat up. "I think you should be asking a girl, or even Yumichika. Not me."

"You'd think you'd be comfortable with your masculinity Ichigo." Rukia chided.

"I think you should shut up and put on some freaking pants for once." Ichigo tugged at her skirt but removed his hand before Rukia could slap it away. "Too much damn temptation." He muttered as he moved over to his backpack and brought out a textbook.

Rukia took his advice and ran upstairs to change before coming back down dressed in her pajamas and with a horror manga in hand. The glory of distractions.

So like every teenage couple who had the house to themselves…Rukia and Ichigo sat next to each other reading quietly.

It didn't get noisy until Rukia heard stomping noises coming from her porch. She and Ichigo exchanged a glance as someone announced their arrival outside.

"It's Shiba Kaien coming back after a night of drinking!" He called out obnoxiously. "I'm not drunk either because Renji is a lightweight! So if anyone is still awake, they'll probably want to put on some pants right about now!"

Rukia stifled a laugh as Ichigo growled and got up to throw the door open. Kaien was fumbling with the lock and keeping a hand over his eyes, giving ample time to anyone who may have had to scramble back into clothes.

"Would you shut up?" Ichigo yelled harshly at the other man. "We're sitting right here and fully clothed you pervert! You're not supposed to shout your arrival when it's late at night!"

"I was just giving you two fair warning." Kaien smirked as he walked past Ichigo and into the living room. "Abarai told me about the last time you _thought_ you were alone, and I really don't wanna walk into something like that."

Ichigo turned a little rosy but still snapped back sarcastically. "Thanks for being so damn considerate."

"You're welcome." Kaien grinned until he saw the books on the table and in Rukia's hand.

He stared at Rukia with a disturbed look on his face. "What the hell is wrong with you Kuchiki? I gave you guys the perfect opportunity and you're wasting it on school crap?"

Rukia frowned and pointed out her current page. "This isn't for school. I'm finding out what the evil sorceress keeps in her cellar." She returned to her reading with enthusiasm. "I think it's the reanimated remains of her past lovers."

Ichigo snatched her manga away and scowled at it. "I thought this was freaking lit homework." He complained. "I can't believe all you idiot shinigami got your work done before me."

"Work smart, not hard." Rukia replied as she yanked her manga back. "Jackass."

Kaien shook his head and sat lazily in the armchair. "You're really disappointing me Kurosaki. I thought you had more game than that."

Ichigo slammed his textbook shut, giving up on getting any more done. "What kind of supervising are you doing? Didn't you tell Byakuya you'd watch over Rukia?"

Rukia cocked her head in bemusement and slapped Ichigo with her manga hard enough to kick-start his brain. The idiot really let his anger get the best of him if he was suddenly trying to goad Kaien into protecting her virginity. Sometimes she really worried about his common sense.

"What the hell was that for?!" Ichigo shouted cluelessly with his hands gripping his skull.

Kaien answered before Rukia could. "Your game is _really_ bad if you're actually reminding me to play chastity police. Rukia told me you were a prude but I didn't think it went this far."

"You told him I was a what?!"

"It's late." Rukia sighed. "I think it's time everyone went to bed. Kaien, you need to remember we still have school in the mornings."

Kaien shook his head. "No…" he paused and looked thoughtful. "Kurosaki's right."

"Ichigo's never right." Rukia said a bit fearfully. Her Nii-sama was an obstacle, she had hoped Kaien wouldn't make himself one. Ichigo must have been in agreement, because for once he didn't argue with her insult.

Kaien shook again, but more firmly the second time. "No. I'm not gonna put some barrier on your panties Kuchiki, I just want to make sure Kurosaki's really worth your time."

Rukia grimaced. "Please don't ever say panties again..."

"Come on Kurosaki. You and me, underground. Let's see what you've got." Kaien boldly placed his hands on his hips and waited for Ichigo to stand.

Ichigo's eye twitched, but other than that, he fought Kaien's provocation. "I don't think so old man. I don't wanna break your back or something."

Kaien growled and pulled Ichigo by the hair over the couch and down the stairs. Rukia left her manga in the living room, as Ichigo and Kaien would provide far better entertainment than any fictional zombie filled dungeon.

Kaien popped a normal mod soul into his mouth, as Urahara decided he wouldn't be giving out any more for free, and unsheathed his zanpakuto. Kaien grinned as he gripped the hilt and readied himself.

Rukia smiled at how excited he looked just waiting to spar and frowned when she saw Ichigo stubbornly standing off to the side with his arms crossed.

"Come on Ichigo." Rukia called. "Just show Kaien-dono you're not as stupid as you look and sound."

"Whose side are you on?" Ichigo sneered.

Rukia jabbed a thumb towards Kaien in answer.

"I'm not gonna hurt ya." Kaien gloated. "I just want to make sure your fighting skills are worthy of my favorite student."

Rukia stood a little taller at the compliment and Ichigo finally groaned in compliance.

"I mean what kind of man doesn't take up the opportunity for sex?" Kaien continued.

"I'm getting ready, just gimme a second." Ichigo called grumpily as he fumbled in his pocket for his shinigami badge.

Kaien ignored him. "Especially when Kuchiki's got so many other suitors. Abarai obviously likes her enough."

"I said just a second!" Ichigo yelled a little louder.

"Or maybe I didn't interrupt anything and you're just a quick shooter."

"You bastard!"

Rukia watched as Ichigo flew towards Kaien and their zanpakuto's met with sparks flying. At first she was worried Ichigo would let his temper get the better of him, but calmed down when she saw neither of them were going all out. Just boys and their necessary release of testosterone…

"I didn't know we were already getting into shikai." Kaien commented while he pushed back against Ichigo's much larger blade.

"Sorry," Ichigo grunted as he shoved the older man back roughly. "Zangetsu's always like this. If you want me to go easier on you—"

Kaien shun poed behind Ichigo but was swiftly blocked. "Who's going easy on who?" Kaien taunted back as he slid across the ground.

Rukia smirked as she watched the two banter and boast. She knew they were having fun whether they were going to admit it or not. It stopped being about Ichigo 'proving his worth' after the first blow impressed her former lieutenant.

It brought her back to the times Kaien would take her to the outer districts and work on her swordplay. He was always patient, but never coddling. Somewhat like Ichigo…except of course the patient part…

It didn't take long before Rukia saw Kaien's satisfaction with Ichigo's abilities. They were only slightly winded, but they paused their fight for a moment anyway.

"Alright." Kaien admitted. "You pass."

Ichigo snorted playfully. "Past your bed time grandpa? Hope I didn't dislocate your hip or anything. I know that's common with guys your age."

"No way." Kaien smirked. "I'm just bored of you. You've got a _few_ good moves, I'll give you that, but what I really wanna see is your bankai. I barely believed Rukia when she said you had it."

Ichigo shook his head and moved Zangetsu behind his back to let the cloth wrap around it. "I don't think so." He said decisively. " Maybe when I first met you, but now I don't have any reason to kill you."

"Not to mention," Rukia spoke up from the sidelines. "I said no using bankai. Those are the rules you agreed to."

Rukia's vein pulsed when both Kaien and Ichigo rolled their eyes at her.

"You're not going to use that as your excuse are you Kurosaki?" Kaien challenged.

Ichigo crossed his arms. "I don't need an excuse like Rukia's lame rules. _I_ don't feel like using bankai, it's not her who's stopping me."

Rukia narrowed her eyes vengefully. "You wouldn't want to see Ichigo's bankai anyway Kaien-dono." Rukia called out menacingly. "It's not very big or impressive. Renji's is though, you should ask him sometime."

"What the hell?" Ichigo scowled. "You…just…just don't say things like that."

Rukia hid her smirk. He took bait so easily. "I'm just saying that Renji's is huge and Ichigo has the smallest I've seen."

Ichigo fell to the ground with an, "Ack!" and then swiftly ran up to Rukia's face. "Stop it Rukia!" He cried in her face.

"I'm not talking about your penis Ichigo."

"Rukia!" Ichigo yelled again and Kaien came forward with an amused face.

"A man's zanpakuto is basically the same thing Kuchiki. Try to have some tact. Kurosaki doesn't want you telling other men his release is weak."

"It's not weak damn it!"

Kaien shrugged with a grin. "Then whip it out."

"Fuck you guys okay! I'm not showing you anything!" Ichigo hollered.

"Looks like neither of us is getting lucky tonight Kuchiki."

"That's it! I'm going to bed!" Ichigo shouted and dragged his body furiously up the stairs, ignoring the bruises he would be leaving on himself.

Rukia didn't let herself laugh until she knew Ichigo was out of range.

"Remind me never to piss you off Rukia." Kaien spoke with a shake of his head.

"It's a little late for that." Rukia murmured with an arched brow. "But a good idea none the less."

"Alright, enough of that." Kaien took out Nejibana once more. "It's your turn to show me what you've got." He said as he took his sparring stance.

Rukia hesitated. The last time she fought with Kaien, it was really that espada… but Rukia quickly shook the negative image away. She refused to let her memories haunt her any longer. She and Kaien had a second chance and she wanted to show him how much she'd improved.

Rukia transformed and set her face into a slight smirk, taking a defensive position. Kaien let himself laugh and then his eyes flashed with determination as he charged at her first.

Rukia appreciated that he wasn't going easy on her; he respected her abilities. He used his height to quickly strike down, but Rukia used her agility to speed away and pull off her own attack from a different angle.

Kaien blocked her easily, but Rukia could see the surprise in his eyes at her boldness and strength.

"You've really been practicing huh?" he asked genuinely.

Rukia tilted her head slightly. "Actually, I think Ichigo's right. Maybe you are just a bit rusty." Her verbal spars were still better than her physical ones.

"Heh, say that now Kuchiki."

Kaien pushed her back hard, but Rukia kept her stance and slid to a quick halt. She wasn't going to let him overpower her.

A few jabs and sweeps of their zanpakuto's later, Rukia actually managed to knick Kaien with her improved speed. She was just a bit faster than he was now. He complained that he was out of practice, but they both silently knew better.

Rukia enjoyed showing Kaien how much more comfortable she was with her zanpakuto than when she first learned. She'd never been able to make his eyes flash in surprise and for a brief moment, she thought she saw pride.

They carried on until they were both panting slightly and a sheen of sweat was building on Rukia's forehead. It was odd being in a winter scene without any ice cooling them off. Kaien seemed to have the same mindset.

"How about a dance Kuchiki? You can show me that much before we call it a night right?"

Rukia smirked in agreement as Kaien lunged at her to see her defensive attack. She decided to pull out all the stops and really give Kaien something worth seeing. Something she hadn't actually shown to many people yet. Rukia released her shikai immediately and went directly into her newest technique.

"Third dance. Shirafune."

Kaien had time to widen his eyes before the water in the air crystallized into a crisp white blade right in front of him. He jerked to avoid it and completely missed the second one that shot up from the ground beneath him. It knocked Nejibana straight up and out of his hands. His zanpakuto landed solidly in the ground a few feet away just as Rukia brought Sode no Shirayuki to a point in his face.

"Holy…" Kaien gaped before he dropped his jaw in a huge grin. "What was that Kuchiki?! That was amazing!" He answered himself. "You learned a whole new sequence. I'm damn proud of you!"

Rukia swelled at the admiration her senpai was giving her. She thought she'd never hear him commend her swordplay that way in her wildest dreams.

"What was that?" Kaien asked again with excitement. "Shirafune? It can make it's own blades out of nothing?"

"Out of the water in the air." Rukia nodded. "At first I used it to fix my own blade when it broke, but then I learned to expand it's potential."

Rukia felt Kaien rest his large hand on her head and pat affectionately. "That's good work Kuchiki. You've improved so much. Even without releasing your zanpakuto, you really impressed me."

Rukia bowed low and closed her eyes. "Thank you Kaien-dono."

"I guess you and Ichigo get a lot of practice stamina-wise huh?"

Rukia's eye twitched. Way to ruin a nice moment. "It's not funny without Ichigo to hear it." Rukia warned lightly.

"I bet to differ. " Kaien teased.

Rukia grabbed the hand still on her head and twisted it behind Kaien's back. "Ow ow ow! So rough Kuchiki!"

"I think it's time we said goodnight Kaien-dono." Rukia let him go and made her way towards the stairs hearing pained grumbling behind her.

"Ow…" Kaien complained again for good measure. "Night."

Rukia transformed back into her gigai as she trudged wearily up the stairs. "Urahara should figure out a way to keep sweat and blood from transferring bodies." She muttered to herself. She needed to take a shower before she turned in.

"Took you freaking long enough."

Rukia jumped slightly from hearing Ichigo's voice coming from her bed. He was in his sweats and nightshirt lying in the middle of the comforter scowling at her ceiling.

"I thought you were going to bed?" Rukia asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Never said whose bed I was going to…" Ichigo mumbled. "You two have fun?"

Rukia stopped looking for her pajamas and turned a cold eye towards him in warning.

"I'm not jealous. I swear." Ichigo said honestly. He sighed and shrugged one shoulder. "I've decided it's pointless to let my imagination get away from me. Who'd bother to try and steal _you_? You're not all that Rukia."

"Oh really?" Rukia glared evilly while Ichigo feigned disinterest. He was trying to get her back for earlier, but she was too tired to play into his insults like he so easily fell into hers. "Whatever." She said shortly. "I only hope you took a shower before you hopped into my bed."

Ichigo grunted and lifted himself onto his elbows, annoyed she wasn't arguing with him. Rukia turned toward her bathroom with a triumphant smirk etched on her face. "Too bad you didn't wait for me to come up here." Rukia called as she shut her bathroom door. "My bath's big enough for two…" she teased.

She heard a much louder groan and then Ichigo cry out, "Bitch!" before she turned on her shower and drowned away the bustle of the outside world and Ichigo's bitching.

Rukia showered leisurely and when she got into bed, Ichigo had given up on goading her into an argument. At first Rukia thought he was asleep until he snuggled up close behind her. Cuddling happened to be their deep dark secret. They didn't hold hands in public, but at night, in Rukia's room when they got the rare chance, they were all over each other like a couple of bickering teddy bears. Kon would have been greatly upset by this fact.

Rukia felt Ichigo's arms wrap around her front and she clasped her hands over his, tucking them both under her chin. She took a deep soothing breath and nuzzled into him further. Rukia was already feeling sleep weigh down her eyelids when Ichigo decided to speak up.

"Rukia?" Ichigo mumbled into her hair.

"Hmm?"

"You never told me…what was Kaien's nightmare about?"

Rukia's eyes opened. She paused before answering. "You really want to know that now?" She tried and failed not to sound annoyed. She had promised to tell Ichigo, but did he have to choose now to ask?

He pulled one hand gently out of her grip and pulled her hair back to place a soft kiss on her temple. "You don't have to tell me now." He said easily and kissed again into her dark mane.

Rukia sighed and turned around in his arms. "No, I might as well…"

_Flashback_

_Rukia tapped her foot impatiently while she clicked randomly through her television stations. Ichigo had left four hours ago and she still didn't hear his motorcycle signaling his return. She wasn't staying up and waiting for him…that would be pathetic and foolish…She was just a little worried that he might have encountered a hollow and gotten himself injured. Then she'd have to drag herself out of bed, patch him up, and clean up any blood left behind. He was so inconsiderate. It was simply easier to stay awake until he came back._

"_Rukia?" Renji timidly called out to her from her office. _

"_What?" Rukia snapped without looking away from the TV. He and her Nii-sama had been in there since Ichigo left and she had no clue what could be so interesting. She'd assumed Byakuya had brought paperwork from Soul Society and dragged Renji into working on it._

"_Um…we kinda need your help…" Renji murmured._

_Rukia turned off her TV and turned slowly at the tone Renji was using. "What did you do?" She asked cautiously. "You're not on my computer are you?"_

_The guilty look in his eyes answered her question._

"_I told you not to mess with any appliances if Ichigo or I weren't around." Rukia sighed impatiently as she stood to fix whatever he screwed up._

"_Well it wasn't in the kitchen so I didn't think it was the kind that could catch fire." Renji shrugged._

"_It's on fire?!"_

"_No, no!" Renji disputed. "It's just—"_

_Byakuya blew past Renji and focused on Rukia looking almost as pink as Senbonzakura. The color actually suited him if it didn't disturb Rukia to the very core. "Explain to me the other functions that box in your office performs." He ordered with harsh restraint. "Because I will not have a member of my clan using human technology so perversely." _

_Rukia moved quickly into her office with Renji bumbling excuses behind her. "I swear I was just looking for that game Ichigo showed me! It was a spy game! Bond something!"_

"_You typed bondage?!" Rukia cried out at the obscene array of images on her screen._

"_Abarai __**assures**__ me it was an accident." Byakuya defended Renji dryly._

_Rukia was definitely going to dedicate a few H. L. classes to computers and the dangers of the internet…She was also going to start locking her office._

"_I only gave you a few rules to follow and you've already started breaking them…" Rukia lectured irritably. She was about to continue and convince her brother she'd never visited one of those sites before…not counting the time she did it accidentally on Ichigo's computer…but an anguished scream coming from her guesthouse grasped the three shinigami's attentions. _

"_That was Shiba." Renji said as they swiftly made their way towards the yells._

_Rukia didn't think of transforming into her soul reaper form, but instead concentrated on getting to Kaien as quickly as she could. She, Renji, and Byakuya came to a stop outside of Kaien's room, pausing in the doorway. _

_Kaien was sitting with his head tucked to his knees and breathing harshly on the futon. It seemed he'd just been lying in bed before he was screaming. _

_Rukia took a quick scan of the empty room and came closer to the shivering man on the bed. "Kaien-dono?" she asked with slight trepidation._

"_I-it was j-just a dream." Kaien tried to reassure them, but his whole body was covered in sweat and his face was still stricken. "Just some sick nightmare." He said again._

"_What was it about?" Rukia asked with concern._

_Kaien just shook more and gripped his head harder. His black hair laced through his pale fingers. Renji came forward and slowly put a hand on Kaien's shoulder to steady the older man. "Calm down and take deep breaths. Tell us when you're ready."_

_Rukia added her hand to Kaien's other shoulder and he slowly stopped shaking. When his breathing returned to normal, Byakuya spoke from the doorway. "What was the nightmare about?" He asked authoritatively._

"_It was…" Kaien took another deep breath and collected himself. He gave Rukia a thankful nod and straightened up as she and Renji let go of his shoulders. "Sorry." He shook his head again with slight embarrassment. " It was intense." Kaien admitted. He swallowed and took another breath before going into more detail. "It might have been a memory, but…it wasn't my memory."_

"_How do you know that?" Rukia asked quietly. She knew full well the kind of horrors Kaien had been through. She'd hate to have to tell him what he saw had actually happened._

"_I know," Kaien continued. "Because I almost attacked __**myself**__. I was killing members of our division. Sl-slashing them. Cutting them down. It was horrible. I couldn't stop myself. And then I almost killed you Kuchiki. You and Ukitake, but then, __**I**__ jumped in the way."_

_Rukia paled and tried to keep her own body from shaking. Kaien had dreamt about Miyako being taken over, but…he was dreaming it from the hollow's perspective… Why was Kaien remembering something the hollow did?_

"_The worst part was near the end of the dream." Kaien shuddered. "I…not me…but the monster…it consumed someone from the inside out. Like their body was just a shell."_

_Rukia closed her eyes. That would be how Miyako died._

_Kaien looked nervously at the grim faces in front of him. "It was bad but…I'm okay now. It was just…pretty gruesome to watch."_

"_I shall go and inform Urahara of these events." Byakuya said lowly, but Kaien rushed to his feet. _

"_No!" He held his hand out, asking Byakuya to stay. "It was just a nightmare. I- I let myself get carried away. If it's necessary we can talk to Urahara about it later."_

_The three men in the room looked to Rukia. She felt put on the spot, but she did know the most about the situation. She had the wonderful pleasure of being there that night. Rukia stood and tried to put on a soothing smile. "We don't need to do anything now. It was just a nightmare and Kaien-dono doesn't remember anything new, so we should all retire for the night."_

_Rukia, Byakuya, and Renji said goodnight to Kaien and closed the door behind them. Renji's eyebrows were drawn together as he spoke to her so Kaien wouldn't hear. "I'm going back to Urahara's anyway Rukia. Want me to give him a run down? It could be important."_

_Rukia shook her head and brought out her cell phone. "No. I'm going to call him right now, I know what actually happened so I can explain more."_

"_Did you or Kaien witness Shiba Miyako's final moments?" Byakuya asked stoically._

_Rukia dialed the numbers and shook her head again, hiding her pained expression. "We didn't see it. Kaien doesn't seem to remember anything about Miyako and especially that night. I have no idea why he would dream about Miyako's last moments." Rukia turned away and headed to her bedroom to talk to Urahara in private, and Byakuya and Renji got the hint to turn in for the night._

_Urahara wasn't happy to be woken up so late, and he seemed even unhappier by the news Rukia was relaying to him. _

"_Do you know what all this could mean Urahara?" Rukia asked quietly into the receiver._

"_Hmm…"_

_Rukia could hear Urahara's customary fan tapping his chin in mock contemplation. He was putting on a show even through the phone._

"_Well I had my suspicions that Shiba-kun could have some kind of connection with the hollow he shared a host body with…"_

"_You mean the espada Aaroniero?" Rukia asked worriedly._

"_Actually I meant the hollow Aizen originally experimented on, Metastacia."_

_Rukia frowned. "So he's getting memories from him?"_

"_Well I can't say until Shiba-kun has recovered all of his memories. Then I'll be able to perform more conclusive tests."_

_Rukia rolled her eyes at Urahara's roundabout answer. "When do you speculate Kaien-dono will get all of his memories back and you'll be able to know more?" she asked with her patience wearing out._

"_Kuchiki-san, I'm not a psychic, I'm a scientist! Although I do think that with enough dabbling I'd be able to—"_

"_Urahara!"_

"_Oh I'm sorry Kuchiki-san, you probably need your beauty rest. You do have so many handsome houseguests to attend to. I suppose I should get to the point and give you my best hypothesis yes?"_

"_Yes…" Rukia said through gritted teeth._

_For the moment Urahara's tone turned serious. "I think Shiba's reluctance to remember certain details, especially those of his late wife are a part of the mind's subconscious nature to protect itself from further pain. In short, I believe the most painful memories will be buried the deepest. Give him time Kuchiki-san. We'll all have more information than we wanted to receive soon enough. For now let Shiba Kaien believe what he saw was merely a dream."_

_Rukia closed her yes. "I agree Urahara." She was about to say goodbye, thinking their conversation over when he spoke once more._

"_Rukia?"_

"_Yes?" Rukia blinked at the rare use of her first name. Urahara liked to tease her with his slight formalities._

"…_I…I suggest you enjoy this time you have now, while keeping in mind that it is not meant to last."_

_Rukia faltered for a second. Did he mean Kaien would change when he remembered all the dreadful things that happened to him? Or was Urahara referring to something else…?_

"_Ura-"_

_His loud and obnoxious yawn interrupted her from asking for more detail. "I'm so sorry Kuchiki-san, this humble, aging, but still handsome shop owner can't keep his curious eyes open any longer. Thank you for the information on our dear Shiba-kun! Give your brother and Kurosaki-kun my best regards! I hope they enjoy their close quarters!"_

_With that he clicked off the line and Rukia was left feeling even more confused and anxious than she was before she called him._

Rukia got frustrated again just thinking about that bucket-headed bastard. He really didn't answer any of her questions. She looked up to Ichigo's face in annoyance, thinking he'd fallen asleep, but her expression fell quickly when she saw his eyes glaring at nothing.

"Ichigo?" she asked quietly.

His gaze didn't fall towards hers yet. "Urahara said that to you?"

Rukia glanced down and nodded. "Yes…I'm not exactly sure what he meant, but I think he's just being overly cautious…"

Ichigo pulled her closer and his fist wrapped into the back of her nightshirt. "He doesn't have all the information yet Rukia. Don't let his cryptic shit bother you."

Rukia smiled softly at how in tune Ichigo was to her feelings, even if it was a day ago that it happened. But she decided to tease him for his concern rather than praise him. "Who said I was bothered Ichigo? You honestly worry too much."

Ichigo grunted and Rukia couldn't stop herself from pressing a kiss into his chest. He leaned down and met her lips gently, coaxing her tongue to mingle with his after a few moments. Rukia's hands roamed over his back and shoulders, but she didn't stray under his clothes like she usually did. Ichigo seemed just as satisfied with simply kissing her and holding her, as his hands didn't slip under the waist of her bottoms.

They pulled away from their kissing, breathing a bit heavier, but still remaining calm and relaxed under the covers.

"Damn it." Ichigo swore. "I'm too tired to take advantage of you."

"And I'm too tired to let you." Rukia agreed.

Ichigo bent down again and kissed the corners of her mouth before pulling away with a scowl on his face. "You don't think Kaien worked out with us so we'd get tired on purpose do you?"

Rukia could only blink back. She wouldn't put it past her former lieutenant.

"That bastard…" Ichigo grumbled and he rolled onto his back to rest Rukia securely on top of his chest. "I'm not falling for that crap again, I'll tell ya that much."

"Deal." Rukia promised as she closed her eyes and let the thumping of Ichigo's heart set the pace of her own. She was finally going to spend her night sleeping instead of cleaning and she realized it was due to Ichigo. She'd probably never get a full night's rest without him and she wasn't sure if that was good or bad.

* * *

_AN: That stuff about Rukia's zanpakuto's third release is just speculation on my part. She hasn't realized the full potential of her third dance, so I was just playing with an idea. Hitsugaya's zanpakuto can use the vapor in the air, so why not Rukia's? As always thanks for leaving reviews and thanks for reading the story! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!_


	26. Finally

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. But at least I can walk again! Hooray!_

_Warning you've all (most anyway) been waiting for _

_This fic is rated M for acts of...lovey...stuff...that might be too mature for some readers. Ahem..I guess it's called lemon. You'll see it coming (no pun! no pun!) so feel free to skip the end if you're uncomfortable. Thanks!_

* * *

Chapter 26: Finally

* * *

Ichigo clearly remembered the last time he'd woken up next to, or rather, underneath Rukia, and he found it was just as pleasant this time around. It was probably something he'd never get tired of. If all mornings began in the similar fashion, Ichigo could picture himself becoming a morning person. Of course who wouldn't prefer waking up next to a beautiful girl as opposed to their insane father's not-so sneaky attacks? 

He glanced at the alarm clock that neither he nor Rukia bothered setting the night before and palmed his eye at the late hour. They needed to get up and get ready for school soon. Or…Ichigo thought mischievously, he could just lie there pretending to be asleep until Rukia woke up and then blame her for their tardiness.

"We'd better get up soon." Rukia advised in a clear voice. Ichigo jumped slightly, having no idea she'd been awake or how long for that matter.

"How long have you been awake?" he asked suspiciously.

"Long enough to see you weren't going to wake me up any time soon."

Ah…caught.

"And," Rukia continued after smirking at his guilty expression. "Long enough to decide that I want sex and you're going to give it to me."

Ichigo jerked back and positioned himself over Rukia. "Whoa, uh, now?" He wasn't really prepared, but he wasn't going to argue either.

To his disappointment and relief…a strange mix between the two, Rukia rolled her eyes beneath him. "Not now, well…" She seemed to pause to consider but then shook her head vigorously. "No, not now, but soon. What you said last night…I think it was just right, but I also don't want you to think that I'm feeling very…patient about the matter."

Ichigo blinked and then smirked coyly. "Alright then. When….uh…do you wanna…" Ichigo trailed off and frowned in thought. He didn't know how exactly to proceed to the next step. Were they supposed to have a romantic date or something? Were they supposed to go somewhere, get a hotel? Would it cost him money?

"That's where I got lost too." Rukia spoke up having no idea Ichigo had accidentally implied she was a prostitute in his head. He was very thankful Rukia couldn't read his mind word for word. "I'm not sure what we're supposed to do and I want you to start planning it out." Rukia finished.

"Wait a minute," Ichigo turned his frown towards Rukia. "Why is it my job to plan everything out? It takes two to…tango."

"I don't want tango, I want sex." She said bluntly. "And you're doing it because I said so. I'm giving you a very precious gift Ichigo." Rukia mocked. "It is your obligation as a man to make your partner feel pampered, treasured, and safe, especially for her first time." Rukia completed her monologue with dewy eyes and an innocent pout, which made Ichigo sneer in response.

"You are so full of it Rukia."

She didn't argue, but shrugged one shoulder. "Well too bad, cause that's the way it's going to happen. Besides, you're the one who brought up how to go about it in the first place. It's not my fault you built my expectations."

Ichigo huffed in defeat and got up from the bed. The atmosphere was successfully ruined by Rukia's twistedly unfair logic. The midget was only sweet when she was asleep or unconscious. Ichigo dressed quickly so he'd have time for a quick breakfast before they had to leave for school. Rukia wouldn't have time to make him and Kaien a full meal…Kaien…

Ichigo jerked to a halt at the bottom of the stairs, his uniform shirt still partially unbuttoned. He was so caught up celebrating Byakuya's departure, he forgot to even attempt at sneaking back into the guesthouse. Ichigo wasn't sure how Kaien would take the fact that he'd spent the night in Rukia's room. He didn't really want to press the fact that they'd only cuddled either.

Rukia pushed past him, knocking him out of his thoughts and almost to the floor. "I don't see a stop sign Ichigo." She smirked back at him on her way to the kitchen. "I'm not totally ignorant on the matters of traffic safety. Don't forget you promised you'd let me drive your motorcycle."

Ichigo grimaced, completely forgetting about Kaien for a second. "I said _maybe_." Ichigo corrected worriedly. He followed Rukia into the kitchen, finishing with the last buttons on his shirt. He could hear Kaien bustling around and set his face into a firm scowl. Ichigo mentally prepared himself for whatever the man could throw at him. He hoped he was just in for some teasing or innuendoes as opposed to kitchen knives aimed at his manhood…

"Yo Ichigo!" Kaien greeted warmly.

Well that was easy. "Yo." Ichigo nodded back.

"Good morning Kaien-dono." Rukia called as she reached into the pantry for something quick to eat. "Sorry I woke up a little late. I haven't slept much since Nii-sama arrived."

Kaien dismissed her apology with a wave of his hand. "Don't worry about it Kuchiki. I don't need all my memories to know your brother's a strict pain in the ass." Kaien and Ichigo exchanged a few snorts at Byakuya's expense while Rukia frowned at them both reproachfully.

"If you keep that up I won't even bother fixing you toast."

Kaien waved her off again, not noticing the way it made her eyebrow tick. "I'm skipping breakfast today. I'm saving room so I can stuff myself with whatever Inoue brings today." He smiled in a manner that slightly disturbed Ichigo and picked up his bag to head for the door. "Inoue said she'd bring some extra dishes for me to try today. She said she's making soy-dipped apple sausage bean loaf."

Ichigo was losing his appetite as quickly as Rukia's temper was rising.

"I wasn't kidding when I said you could take some pointers Kuchiki." Kaien continued. "Inoue's food just has a certain…" he snapped his fingers thinking of the word. "Snazz." He concluded.

Ichigo got up and hoisted his bag getting ready to go. "Snazz that could rupture your kidney…"

Rukia tossed a granola bar…a little forcefully… at Ichigo before slamming her pantry door. "Snazz huh?" She huffed. "You never used to have such a foul sense of taste." Kaien retreated out the door and away from Rukia's tone while Ichigo followed suit. He couldn't help but smirk that her attitude and anger was directed at someone other than him. Rukia looked hot when she was fuming at someone else.

On the porch, Ichigo felt a tug on his back pocket and turned to see Rukia's finger hooked inside. She held him back while she locked the front door behind her. "Don't forget about what I said earlier Ichigo." Rukia said privately.

Ichigo looked out down the driveway to see Kaien already turning the corner, so he whirled around and pushed Rukia gently against the doorframe. He bent low and let his lips brush against hers with a smirk. "I'll make sure it's a priority." He promised coyly. Rukia smirked with him and Ichigo sealed his word with a smooth kiss. Or two. Maybe three…math was difficult in the early morning.

They caught up to Kaien…eventually…and set a quick pace towards school. Ichigo was a little surprised Renji hadn't met up with them like he usually did, but before he could ask Kaien exactly _how_ much drinking they'd done, Renji stumbled through the classroom door looking like he'd been dragged to school by a pack of dogs.

"You're late Abarai." Ochi-sensei greeted him.

"I uh…" Renji's voice came out rough and gravelly. He coughed a bit. "I got hit by a bus?"

The dog excuse would have been more believable. There was a class-wide wave of eye rolling and Ochi-sensei pointed Renji to his seat. "Right…And Ishida took a spill down some stairs." She mocked.

Ishida spoke up from his new seat at the back of the class. "That was years ago." He remarked grumpily.

"Well I have an amazing memory for lamest excuses given by students." Ochi-sensei proclaimed proudly. "Now let's start our lesson from where we left off yesterday…" She dropped her elbows to the edge of Kaien's desk. "You were telling us what your favorite color was Shiba-kun!"

While the female and bi-curious portion of the class formed an attentive ring around Kaien, Ichigo turned to the back of the room where his friends were gathering for another day of 'education'.

Rukia had slapped an already aching Renji with her notebook. "That's what you get for drinking on a school night." She scolded. Renji had a wicked hangover and Ichigo wondered why he even bothered coming to school when he wasn't a real student there. "Your gigai is much more affected by alcohol than your soul reaper form. You should know that by now." Rukia continued.

Renji whined excuses but Ichigo drowned him out. He was totally focused on Rukia. Ever since Byakuya had left he could barely tear his eyes away from her. Every little thing she did was sabotaging his usually clear head. Even as she poked Renji repeatedly in the temple, trying to get the grown man to cry, Ichigo was thinking about how amazing she was.

The only reason he didn't take full advantage of their alone time last night was because it felt too good to be true. Byakuya going back to Soul Society and Renji conveniently taking Kaien out for drinks? Maybe Ichigo was paranoid, but it felt too set up. He was more cautious after the scarring incident with the monitor and everyone watching them. Plus he couldn't escape the feeling that Byakuya was just putting him through some sort of test, ready to barge through the door as soon as he heard the teeth of a zipper parting.

The bastard really did on number on Ichigo's head.

"Ichigo did you finish last night's assignment?" Mizuiro asked suddenly.

Ichigo leaned back in his desk and tore his gaze from Rukia. "Uh yeah, why? Did you wanna copy it or something?"

Mizuiro cocked his head curiously. "You'd actually let me copy it?" He asked sounding confused.

Ichigo shrugged and smirked when Rukia managed to get a tear out of Renji. "Yeah sure. It's better than what Shiba and Renji are doing with all those girls."

"It's called delegation!" Renji grumped out.

"I heard about that." Mizuiro nodded. "That's actually a good idea. I should have thought of asking one of my girlfriends to do my work. Most of them keep their old assignments anyway."

Ichigo's eye twitched. "You're kind of a slut you know that Mizuiro?"

Keigo got to laugh at his playboy friend for once and Mizuiro balked trying to defend his reputation. Ichigo went back to ignoring them. He looked out the window to keep his gaze off of Rukia and consider what she had proposed that morning. He was a little anxious about the whole situation. The last time he'd tried to actively make some headway with Rukia, she literally ran away from him. He almost wished he didn't make such a big deal out of their first time because it piled on the pressure. But at the same time…Ichigo found his eyes drawn to Rukia again, laughing beautifully at Renji's expense.

She deserved it. Rukia deserved way more than Ichigo could ever really give her and he had no idea what was wrong with her that she actually let him touch her the way he did. Let alone she was willing to sleep with him. Rukia was so weird.

Rukia sneezed and turned to blame Ichigo with a suspicious glare. Ichigo scowled and turned away. "Stop reading my mind." He muttered to himself.

"Oi Ichigo." Renji called out to him and Ichigo faced his friends again. "I forgot, but this morning I think saw your dad on campus."

Ichigo frowned. His father was never good news. "Are you sure you're not still drunk?" Ichigo asked hopefully.

"Not really…" Renji admitted. He slumped his head onto his desk before Rukia could smack him again.

After a few more hours in class though, they found out Renji wasn't drunk, or at least his vision was accurate, because Kurosaki Isshin knocked on their classroom door, interrupting Kaien's detailed and _totally fabricated_ childhood stories.

Ichigo stood up immediately, guiltily hoping that something was wrong and his father hadn't just popped in to torture him. "Dad?!" he cried out, still surprised despite Renji's warning. "Is something wrong? Are Karin and Yuzu alright?"

"Sit down." His dad and Ochi-sensei commanded together as if he were a buzzing fly. Ichigo sat and folded his arms. He glanced at Rukia for some kind of support, but she only rose an eyebrow, showing she had no idea what was to come and would throw him under the bus if need be. "Don't be so dramatic son." Isshin turned to face him from the front of the room. "Everything's fine. Better than fine!" He corrected himself with a grin that made Ichigo think otherwise…

Ochi-sensei turned towards the class and broke up the circle around Kaien. "Sorry guys, somehow it slipped from my mind that we'd have a guest speaker today. This is Dr. Kurosaki Isshin."

Isshin stepped forward in his white doctor's coat and somehow managed not to look as insane as Ichigo knew he was. Ichigo could barely see the Masaki poster hidden on Isshin's person. "As your teacher introduced, my name is Kurosaki Isshin. You should all know my bright-haired but dark-attitude son Kurosaki Ichigo." A few smiles broke through the classroom, including all of Ichigo's friends. Ichigo glared at all of them.

"I'm here to talk to the seniors around your school because of the new world that's opening up to you in the near future..." Isshin began some kind of speech about leaving the nest—at least he wasn't sobbing like he did at home—So Ichigo began to let his mind drift towards Rukia again. Would she want flowers? Chocolate? Mood music? Would he have to send Kaien out to a movie or something?

"With new places comes new people and new experiences…"

He could set up something really elaborate, so romantic Rukia would swoon and giggle and…vomit. There's no way Rukia would like something like that. He'd learned that Rukia didn't like cheesy things. It sucked having to come up with something to please her.

"It's very common to feel pressure from your peers…"

Ichigo's ears perked. That sounded vaguely familiar…

"Impulses will get stronger and it's important to keep yourself prepared…"

Wait a minute…he's not…

"That's why I'm here to teach you about sexual education!"

"Oh fuck no!" Ichigo jumped from his desk, headed towards the window. He didn't care what floor they were on, he was bolting for the nearest exit.

"Oh no you don't Kurosaki." Ochi-sensei forced one shoulder down and his father held the other.

"I'm here only in my professional capacity." Isshin grunted as he struggled to keep Ichigo down.

Ochi-sensei ran to block the door as a few students, Rukia included, tried to use Ichigo's distraction to flee themselves. "Stop right there and return to your seats!" Ochi commanded. "This class is required for all graduating seniors! I don't care how innocent you are or aren't, you must let Dr. Kurosaki instruct you on the basics of safe sex!"

Ichigo lurched, trying to reach the window again, but his dad wasn't relenting. "Don't worry my son!" Isshin whisper-yelled in Ichigo's ear. "I give my oath as a practitioner that I will not single dearest Rukia-chan out or give the two of you any special tips. But you can always ask me later!"

"Yeah right!" Ichigo shouted. "Get the hell off me!" He was actually starting to choke from the headlock his father had put him in, and was forced to give in and sit through the lecture.

Isshin slapped his hands together triumphantly. "Alright, now that's out of the way. I'm actually disappointed the rest of you gave in so easily. I brought three rolls of duct tape to keep everyone in their seats." He bragged. Ichigo watched his dad through squinted eyes as he went back to the front of the class and opened a briefcase. To Ichigo's absolute mortification, though a shock it was not, Isshin pulled out a box of condoms and a bunch of bananas. "Now I'll need a volunteer!"

Surprisingly, his dad _did_ act completely mature and professional throughout the demonstration. He stuck to the facts and didn't go on any embarrassing emotional tangents. Ichigo didn't have to black out and pretend the day was only a sick nightmare at all.

In fact…Isshin focused on using none other than Ishida Uryu as his unwilling assistant. As much as Ichigo pitied Ishida for the situation he was thrust into, he was supremely thankful it wasn't him at the front of the classroom. And honestly, Ichigo felt truly guilty for joining the rest of the class in an explosion of laughter when the condom Ishida was rolling over the banana snapped off and landed on Orihime's desk.

It seemed Ichigo wasn't the only one fate liked to screw with.

The group reconvened on the roof for lunch and no one dared speak an unkind word to Ishida. The crackling killing intent radiating from the normally pale, but currently pink teen, was the only thing keeping Ichigo from bursting out into more laughter.

Ishida was actually the first one to break the tension in the air, his Quincy pride getting the better of him. "That was the most humiliating debacle I've ever found myself in."

Ichigo disguised his snort of laughter as one of disagreement. "Well now you understand what it's like to have that lunatic as a dad. Try being raised by him without turning out like Keigo and then you can complain."

"This is bad for my self esteem." Keigo muttered.

"I'm not complaining." Ishida said coolly despite his face still resembling the hue of those frilly dresses he often made. "I'm merely stating the fact that you, Kurosaki, and your father are absolutely intolerable."

" What did I do?" Ichigo frowned and surprisingly Tatsuki defended him.

"It's not really fair to blame Ichigo." She stated after recovering from her own fit of laughter. "He would have been the first to warn us if he knew what was going to happen." Ichigo gave a firm nod to that fact.

"Although he could have put up a better fight so the rest of us had a useful distraction for a getaway." Rukia chided snidely.

Ichigo scowled at her show of 'support' while Tatsuki snickered in agreement. He should really keep those two apart…Female bonding didn't bode well for him.

"There is a bright side to all this!" Orihime spoke positively from beside Ishida, not nearly as pulsed by the incident as he was. "Kurosaki-kun's father let me keep all the bananas! Now I can make chili-pickle sundaes!" Only Kaien shared her excitement.

"And I…" Keigo nudged Ichigo playfully, his confidence apparently restored. "Got some nice take-home gifts from your dad too Ichigo!"

Renji grabbed one of the foiled packages Keigo was gleefully showing off and balked. "This was that strawberry thing I was gonna eat!" he cried out, slightly mortified at the implications.

Rukia shook her head smugly. "I told you it wouldn't serve your _tastes_."

Renji made a face between a pout and grimace. "They should make them flavors that only girls like."

"Strawberry's a pretty girly flavor." Ichigo teased with a sneer.

Renji rounded on him quickly. "I don't wanna hear that comin' from you, Berryhead!" Ichigo scolded himself. He should have known to keep quiet about anything involving that damn fruit.

"You know," Kaien pointed out with an awkward scratch to his forehead. "Berryhead suddenly sounds like a completely different insult…" he muttered. Ichigo recoiled with a groan, but there were more than a few laughs from the group. Ishida looked especially pleased that the tables had once again turned.

Rukia stood up trying to fight a smile. "I think it's time for me to go, before this conversation deviates any further."

Ichigo looked up at her seriously and grabbed her wrist with a small frown. "Where are you going? It's only lunch time." Despite the double entendres and small square packages Keigo was spreading around like trading cards, Ichigo was having a pretty laid back time.

Rukia grabbed her school bag with her other hand and lifted it onto her shoulder. "I get to sit in on conferences at the kindergarten this week, so I need to leave a little early." She said brightly taking pride in her duties. "I've already informed our school."

Ichigo didn't quite share her sentiment. "You didn't inform me."

Rukia's eyebrow arched dangerously. "I wasn't aware I was required to."

Ichigo scowled and loosened his hold on her wrist. She had a witty retort for everything. Rukia turned from him and waved with her free hand. "I'll see everyone later!"

"I'll save a sundae for you Kuchiki-san!" Orihime and the others waved her off and Rukia began to make her leave, but as soon as her hand slipped from his grasp, Ichigo found his legs pushing him up and following her towards the door. Rukia whipped around with a confused frown and bumped into his chest. "Wha-? Ichigo-"

Ignoring or rather not comprehending they weren't alone on the rooftop, Ichigo leaned down and cupped her cheek for a quick goodbye kiss. It wasn't something they usually did or made a habit of, but Ichigo had the sudden urge and went with it. Who was he to argue with hormones?

After a few tender seconds spent on her bottom lip and a slow but engaging sweep of his tongue, Ichigo abruptly flopped back to his seat and grabbed his lunch. He stuffed his mouth and waved nonchalantly with a "Fee ya Wukia," As if he hadn't gotten up at all.

Rukia's eyes fluttered before a rare but pretty blush spread across her face and she turned swiftly back towards the door to hide it. Her hand rose stiffly and she mumbled another goodbye before making a quick exit. She'd probably get him back for catching her off guard later…but Ichigo grinned around his lunch and the stupefied faces of his friends. It was worth it.

The rest of the school day went by quickly and for the most part Ichigo was left with his thoughts. By the time he got home he figured Rukia wanted something special, but not over the top. Something romantic, but definitely not cheesy. And probably something sexy but not kinky…yet. He knew Rukia's basic likes and dislikes, but none of those really gave him any ideas for specific details. He assumed Chappy wasn't an aphrodisiac—He _prayed_ Chappy wasn't an aphrodisiac. That would cause a conflict…

Ichigo pulled out his texts for some busy work to do while he thought. It figured that this was the _one_ area that Rukia didn't decide to share her opinion with him. It was almost as if she were trying to subtly torture him, but Ichigo knew Rukia would be very straightforward if that were her true intention.

"Ugh!" Ichigo slammed his head onto his textbook, welcoming the pain. "This is harder than it should be."

"You can always borrow one of the girls I've got doing my work." A voice offered.

Ichigo jerked up as Kaien loomed over his shoulder. "Where did you come from?!" he cried out.

Kaien smirked and jumped over the couch to sit next to him. "You know Rukia does that too. I wonder if you two spend too much time together or maybe I really do have a habit of sneaking up on people…"

Ichigo pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration while Kaien mused. "What do you want Kaien?" He droned out now that the shock of Kaien's sudden appearance had subsided. "And don't tell me it's about the difference between a clothes and waffle iron again, because I'm kinda busy here."

"Nope," Kaien clipped out. "Thought I'd tell you that Renji and I are going out again."

"Trying to finish him off?" Ichigo asked lamely.

Kaien gave him a crooked grin. "It was his idea. He said he wanted to prove his gigai's stronger than my gigai."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. Renji was a glutton for more than just food. "You think it's a good idea to keep staying out on school nights?" He asked hesitantly. "I don't really care or anything, but Rukia's gonna bit—uh…act matronly about it."

Kaien snickered confidently. "Kuchiki can bitch all she wants. You gotta just let loose sometimes you know. Any good commander knows when his men need some time off."

Ichigo shrugged. He didn't know anything about commanding people, but he did understand how things could start to weigh down on people. He understood that all too well.

"Also," Kaien continued with a glint in his eye. "I'm going to stay at Urahara's. He said he wanted to run some more of those weird tests of his and it'll be easier if I just stay there rather than trudging back here after all his prodding."

Ichigo blinked a few times not quite grasping what was being implemented. "Uh…"

Kaien got up and slapped his back. "Just tell Rukia where I am so she doesn't throw the rule book at me alright?"

"Sure…" Ichigo answered slowly.

Kaien grabbed a jacket and winked at Ichigo. "I'm going to catch up to Renji right now. I'll see you tomorrow at school. Take care of Kuchiki."

"Yeah…" Ichigo grinned back softly. "I'll do that."

Shiba Kaien was officially a cool guy in Ichigo's book.

The door closed behind Kaien with a thud that seemed to resonate throughout the house. For a few quiet moments, Ichigo sat completely still on the soft sofa and let the facts sink in. Kaien had just made planning a whole lot easier. A small and nervous smile twitched at the corner of his mouth and he slowly stood up to do all he could to prepare for Rukia's arrival. She said she didn't want to wait and Ichigo wasn't one to waste time either. He would jump at the opportunity Kaien had given him. Ichigo scratched the back of his head and looked around for a place to start. "Now where the hell did Yumichika put all that girly crap?"

As the sky darkened and the hours passed, Ichigo heard Rukia's keys in the door around sunset. He stood nervously in the archway between the living room and hallway, knowing Rukia usually made a beeline for her office first.

"Oi! Ichigo! Kaien! Renji! I'm back!" Rukia called out as the front door swung open. Ichigo moved forward to greet her, but an unusually large stack of papers was thrust into his arms before he could get a word out.

"Oof!" Ichigo grunted then frowned as Rukia whizzed right into her office leaving him to follow behind her. "Um…Rukia..." He tried to greet her.

"Before you say anything." Rukia interrupted gruffly. "I'm going to give you fair warning that I've had a rough day with impossible students with unhealthy fixations and even more impossible parents that happen to wear far too much perfume."

Ichigo rose a brow. "Uh..that must have been—"

"Teo's pushing me to my limit." Rukia continued in a mini-tirade. She shuffled randomly in her desk occasionally take bits off the stack in Ichigo's arms. "You won't believe what he did to his hair. And what's worse, his parents are trying to guilt me into giving him a special _talk_. Anything I say is just going to encourage him."

Ichigo had no clue what she was talking about, but he nodded along anyway. "Right…Uh well at least dinner—"

Rukia struck a small but foreboding finger into the air. "Renji you should just freeload off of someone else tonight because I really don't have the patience to hear your complaints while I make something."

"Renji's not here." Ichigo informed her. He tried to hide his annoyance at being mistaken for that moron due to the occasion. "And like I was trying to say, you don't have to worry about dinner because—"

"Kaien if you even utter a word about Inoue, snazz, or cooking lessons, I'll—"

"Shiba's not here either!" Ichigo yelled. He should really work on his patience.

Rukia turned to look at him for the first time with her hand on her hip. "You don't have to snap at me Ichigo."

Ichigo rolled his eyes and dropped the remains of Rukia's papers onto her desk. "You don't make anything easy do you midget?" Rukia tried to pull away as Ichigo dragged her out of her office and into the living room.

"Don't manhandle me Ichigo!" Rukia objected as Ichigo forcefully sat her down on the couch and waited for her to stop struggling.

"Just shut up for a sec!" Ichigo ordered with both hands on her shoulders. He only let go when Rukia crossed her arms and glared at him. So far this wasn't part of his plan…He leaned down low with one hand on the back of the couch before speaking softly in her ear. "If you didn't hear me last time, I said Renji and Kaien aren't home and you don't have to worry about dinner because it's already done."

He smirked when Rukia's glare suddenly dropped and she looked genuinely surprised. She blinked a few times at him and looked towards the empty kitchen. "What food? Where did Renji and Kaien go?" she asked him without any of the attitude she was showing earlier.

Ichigo stood back and raised his hand to the back of his neck. "Well… Kaien went out with Renji again and…he said that he's staying at Urahara's for more tests and stuff. Overnight…so… he'll see us tomorrow."

Ichigo saw the little light bulb finally switch on over Rukia's head. "Oh." She said simply. Then she looked at him closely for the first time since she arrived home and took in his button down shirt and slacks as opposed to the usual jeans and witty tee he threw on when he got home.

"Ohhh." She said again, a little more breathless.

"Yeah." Ichigo grinned.

"And you said there's food?" Rukia asked softly.

Ichigo grinned wider. "Yeah there's food." He offered her a hand and for once, Rukia took it, and he helped her off the couch. He slowly pulled her towards the stairs and felt the slightest hesitation in her step. He turned back towards her with a smirk. "You wanna take a shower first right?"

Rukia cocked an apprehensive eyebrow. "Alone." She informed him clearly that she was looking for some romance _before_ anything else.

Ichigo chuckled and continued pulling her. "I know alone. I just have to go this way too." He could imagine a confused frown on Rukia's face behind him and it only made him laugh again. They got to her room and Ichigo let go of Rukia's hand motioning towards her master bathroom.

"Just come out to the roof when you're done." He instructed before moving towards her balcony.

Rukia looked more than surprised. "The roof?"

"You're having a lot of trouble hearing me tonight." Ichigo teased. "The roof. Just come up when you don't smell like diapers and crayons."

Rukia scrunched her nose. "I don't smell like diapers!"

"Whatever. Just hurry and then get up here." Ichigo stood on the ledge of Rukia's private balcony and held onto the edge of the roof to swing himself up. "You could probably dress up some too. I'd like to see ya look nice when you're not drunk outta your mind for once." He hoisted himself up just as a thick book went sailing out the window. "Like I haven't learned to dodge those." He muttered with a grin.

Sooner than he expected, he heard Rukia's patio doors open up and saw a pale small hand reach for the roof edge. He licked his lips nervously before carefully walking over and pulling Rukia up. He almost dropped her when he saw what she was wearing. It was a dress, but absolutely nothing like any cute sundress she'd worn before. The color was a sparkly shade of midnight blue, the hue made Rukia's eyes stand out even more than usual, and it was longer than most of her other dresses. The one she was wearing now hung almost snugly down to her ankles, but a long…_gulp_…wonderfully long slip gave Rukia room to move and Ichigo a sexy peek at Rukia's white leg in contrast with the dark color of the fabric.

"Shit Rukia." Ichigo cursed.

"Pop your eyes back into your head." Rukia scolded, but Ichigo could plainly see the flattered smile on her face. "Now unless our dinner is being air-dropped, why in the world are we on the roof?"

Ichigo stood back a bit, hoping he'd be able to breathe and talk normally if he put some space between them. It didn't quite work, but he did manage to suck in a gasp of air when he saw her profile against the night sky. The moon as Rukia's backdrop did nothing for his breathing. "Shit Rukia." He said again.

"You look nice too Ichigo." Rukia admitted softly.

His ability to communicate regularly had kicked the bucket, so Ichigo threw a thumb over his shoulder to show Rukia the roof picnic he'd set up. There was a blanket spread out over the roof shingles so they could sit comfortably and a few tealights were placed around it to give them a nice light besides the stars.

Rukia looked stunned and her funny face pushed Ichigo gently out of his comatose state. "So you like it?" Ichigo teased lightly. Rukia smiled in response and they both moved over towards the blanket. Ichigo took the food out of the box he'd brought up earlier and made a plate for Rukia and then himself.

"That smells great." Rukia breathed with a sigh. "You didn't make this did you?"

"Hell no." Ichigo admitted. "I didn't wanna screw anything up too badly so I just called your favorite take-out."

Rukia laughed in relief and dug in. "I didn't actually think you'd go through all this." She said after a few bites.

"Well you did threaten me." Ichigo reminded her.

"But how often does that really work?" Rukia shrugged.

"Only once." He said trying to sound firm. "Don't expect this kinda thing in the future." He made a point to give her small scowl, but they both knew if Rukia ever asked him for anything, he'd go through Zaraki Kenpachi to get it.

Luckily Rukia humored him with a mock salute instead of boasting the fact that she owned him. "Of course not." She said with a nod. "This is only to get into my pants."

"I don't think I've ever seen you wear pants." Ichigo mused.

Rukia let out a lovely snort. "I don't think you'd be able to handle it if I did."

Ichigo snorted back. "Che…whatever…" he lied. He changed the subject before Rukia called him on it. "Are you gonna finish that?" He stabbed a utensil at Rukia's plate only to be parried by her own.

"No," She answered. "But that doesn't mean you can have it."

Ichigo shifted his pout into a frown. "Whaddya mean you're not gonna finish it? It's your favorite."

Rukia pushed her plate to the side with a noble air. "I'm not hungry anymore."

"How can you not be hungry, we just—" Two lips settled over his and then a cool hand onto his cheek. _Ohhh._

Ichigo leaned into the kiss and suddenly Rukia was straddling him. His left hand went straight for the slip in Rukia's dress and he moaned lightly when he got a smooth feel of the leg that had been teasing him all night. He tried to stop his hand from venturing all the way to the top of the slip, but then Rukia's hand fell on top of his and encouraged it to go further.

He groaned loudly when he discovered there was no thin panty fabric obstructing his groping fingers on her ass.

Rukia pulled his bottom lip between her teeth with a sinfully sexy smile on her face. "Sometimes I keep things simple for you." She teased.

Ichigo was about to make a bad pun, but thought better of it. Instead he rolled Rukia over and settled on top of her to lay a siege of wet kisses all along her collar and shoulders. Her dress was strapless and Ichigo wondered briefly how it stayed up. When he swept his tongue under the neckline and got a taste of Rukia's modest cleavage, he realized keeping the dress _up_ was not the point.

He lifted himself off of Rukia and panted as she took advantage of his pause to suck on his jaw. He pushed her down gently again and caught his breath. "I just have a really strong feeling that it's a bad idea to keep doing this on the roof."

Rukia nodded breathlessly at his words. "Yes. Changing the location does seem more sensible." Rukia moved to blow out the candles and pack up the dinner they'd barely touched, but Ichigo's mind was far from tidying the area. He wrapped his arms around Rukia and lifted her straight up, taking several long strides back towards Rukia's balcony.

"But what about my food?" Rukia protested futilely as Ichigo had already swung them both down onto the deck. He didn't need to bother answering her because Rukia had already forgotten the dinner and taken interest in his earlobe instead. She always wanted to feed the wildlife around her house anyway.

Rukia wrapped her legs around Ichigo's midsection and thrust her hands into his hair before she kissed him desperately. He loved the way she pulled at his tresses and despite him wanting to take his time tonight, he always encouraged Rukia's rough streak. He just couldn't help it. She small and sexy and bossy and tough and he wouldn't have it any other way.

Ichigo dropped Rukia top of her bed and tried to catch his breath. There weren't too many thoughts going through his head, but the phrase, 'pace yourself' was starting to make an appearance.

Rukia pulled at the bottom of his tucked in shirt, but Ichigo put his hands over hers to stop her. "W-wait a sec." He said quickly. He ran around to Rukia's nightstand and started to light the tealights he'd set up there earlier.

"More candles?" Rukia asked impatiently.

Ichigo wasn't too fond of them himself but he shrugged and kept lighting them. "Yumichika set aside a lot."

"Well you don't _have_ to use them all." Rukia said in a voice that bordered on mocking.

Ichigo whipped back around to face her and scowled. "You said you wanted me to make things special." He complained.

Rukia crossed her arms, still managing to look intimidating with her disheveled hair. "And just how are tealights special?"

"Have you ever seen me light them before?" Ichigo asked in annoyance.

"No…" Rukia answered slowly.

"Then that makes it special." He spoke logically as he went back to lighting the blasted little things.

"What if they catch fire to something?" Rukia asked matter-of-factly behind his back.

Ichigo groaned in frustration. "Fine." He snapped and started blowing them out.

"Well wait." Rukia called out and crossed the bed on her hands and knees towards him. Ichigo was almost sucked into another trance by the alluring position until she spoke again. "If you went through the trouble, you might as well keep them lit."

"Damn it Rukia!" he cried out.

"What?!" She matched his aggravated tone. "Oh just light the damn candles again!"

"Are you sure this time?"

"Well I didn't ask you to blow them out right away! I was just wondering if they were a fire hazard."

Ichigo took a deep breath through his nose. "Do you want them lit or not?" he asked dangerously.

"Yes!"

"Fine!"

But before he could light anything again, Rukia pulled him off his feet and onto his back. She straddled him once again and pressed a hard kiss against his lips as she lifted his shirt from his pants.

Ichigo smirked beneath her and then replaced it with a faux scowl when she pulled away to look at him. "You made me burn my finger." He complained shortly.

Rukia rose an eyebrow before grabbing his hand to take a look at the pained appendage. She locked gazes with Ichigo as she wrapped her lips all the way down to his knuckle and slowly sucked her way back up to the nail. Ichigo's eyes glazed as he felt her teeth skim his skin before she took him in her mouth again and sucked even harder. Ichigo held back from moaning out loud but Rukia let herself smile confidently before dropping his hand and kissing his mouth again.

Ichigo unconsciously let Rukia take control of their kissing since she was on top. Her tongue pushed dominantly into his mouth and Ichigo let her do all the exploring she wanted. His hands explored other areas on her body. They firmly rubbed the soft skin Rukia's dress left untouched and then pushed at the fabric when they grew more curious. Ichigo rolled over onto his elbows so he could take a good look at what his hands were unwrapping.

He pulled back from Rukia, giving her greedy tongue a few more sucks before letting his hands settle over her breasts. He let out a hard breath as he rubbed along the subtle curves of Rukia's body and the dress went down as well. As soon as the shimmering cloth slipped away from an already attentive nipple, Ichigo pushed his head down and opened his mouth wide. Rukia let out a short, quiet moan and Ichigo brought one hand up to cup her breast and give himself more to taste.

Rukia's hands slipped down the back of Ichigo's shirt and scratched along the skin she was eager to see more of. Ichigo shuddered and then hummed along her breast in approval. She growled back at him and brought both hands between them to tug at the front of his shirt. He'd figured earlier when he chose to wear it, the buttons would most likely get ripped off and he didn't mind a bit.

He was caught off guard though when Rukia suddenly shoved him back off of her. He was confused until he saw her eyes take in everything she'd just uncovered. Ichigo allowed himself a smirk. Rukia had seen her fair share of shirtless guys with bulging muscles; they were a dime a dozen in Soul Society, but Ichigo only saw her eyes turn dark and lustful when she looked at him. He let her look a little longer before lying back down on top of her to give her a searing kiss. He tried to convey how grateful he was that she was with him, that she'd picked him, that she loved him. Ichigo sure as hell wasn't ever going to say those things, so he made sure it was clear in the way he kissed her. He pulled back when he thought he was going to suffocate and looked Rukia in the eye. She'd gotten the message. She always did.

He continued smiling down at her while his hand found the edge of her dress again and pulled it down the length of her body. He felt her shift beneath him as her legs slipped out and kicked the garment away. Ichigo's breathing quickened knowing Rukia was completely bare to him. Then she helped him out by rolling them over again and giving him a heart stopping view of her form above him.

"Shit Rukia." He breathed for the third time that night.

Rukia didn't seem fazed by the way he was leering at her, in fact she smile softly and yanked off his belt so she could rid of him of his pants. "I think you need a broader vocabulary." Rukia teased as she worked on the zipper. "Doesn't that Shakespeare fellow spend pages blathering about moments like this?"

"Well he's never seen you Rukia."

For the first time that night both Ichigo and Rukia blushed profusely.

Rukia looked down demurely and then up again at Ichigo with a gorgeous smile. "Good answer." She whispered softly before taking a firm grip of what she'd been working to free from Ichigo's pants.

Ichigo sucked in a breath and his eyes slipped closed as Rukia moved her hand in a slow rhythm up and down his shaft. He could vaguely feel her pulling the rest of his clothes off with her free hand while the other continued moving fluidly. She worked him leisurely but firmly, probably taking great satisfaction at how helpless he was under the power of one dainty hand.

Dainty his ass. Ichigo groaned long and low before sitting up and fighting the hypnotic rhythm she'd set. It was hard enough matching wits with Rukia when they were just arguing, he was going to have to fight tooth and nail if he wanted to take charge in the sack. Or perhaps…Ichigo thought with a wicked grin. Teeth and tongue were more necessary. Ichigo flipped Rukia onto her back again and then lay down comfortably between her legs. He left scorching kisses and took nips of flesh all along Rukia's elegant neck before he slid down lower and lower. Rukia seemed to arch into every touch. Every place his lips kissed and his hands lingered, Rukia offered more of herself to him. She was being compliant for once and Ichigo was going to take advantage of it.

When he reached her small but tight stomach Rukia's breath caught and Ichigo realized he was tickling her. He'd never remembered that spot being so sensitive. He'd have to catalogue it for later reference. He smoothed his lips and flicked his tongue out along her muscles until Rukia relaxed and cooed in approval. Then he grabbed her hips and firmly pushed her body up on the bed until his mouth was aligned with the inside of her thighs and something he'd been wanting a taste of for the longest time.

"I-Ichigo." Rukia stuttered slightly and Ichigo met her eyes before placing a soft kiss at her center. Her eyes rolled back and she relaxed again with a sigh, giving Ichigo the permission he'd silently asked for. He took one nervous breath, intoxicated by their intimacy and then tongued the area beneath him. Rukia started making sounds Ichigo had never heard, and soon he lost himself in abandon. It felt good, it tasted good, it smelled good; he was losing his mind. His mouth started moving furiously and he craned his neck for a better angle. Ichigo felt Rukia's hands clawing at his hair until the point it almost got to be too painful. He lifted his own hands and grabbed hers, intertwining their fingers and then locking Rukia's arms down with his strength.

She cried out and bucked into his face, her legs wrapping around his shoulders. She was simultaneously fighting and encouraging him. She was as mad as he was. Ichigo sucked at a small nub that seemed to throb for him and then panicked momentarily when Rukia screamed above him. He couldn't pull his head away to look up since Rukia's legs were holding him down, but he lifted his eyes to peek through his matted bangs and saw an electrifying sight of Rukia in a high arch. He sucked again and felt Rukia coil _every_ muscle in her body before releasing a final scream and shuddering back down to earth. Ichigo thought he would pass out.

He pried Rukia's legs off him, his face red and his breathing labored, but he leaned over Rukia with the biggest smile on his face. He wanted to say something witty and sexy but his mind was a puddle. Luckily Rukia's was in the same condition and she just let out a slow and breathy laugh before wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pulling him down to lie on top of her. Ichigo nuzzled his face in her hair and kissed the sweaty strands away so he could breath against her ear. They were both panting hoarsely, but Ichigo knew neither was ready to call it a night. When he fought, his strength lied in endurance and the will to keep going. That was definitely a trait he wanted to carry over into lovemaking. With Rukia, he'd need it.

Coincidentally, as that thought wafted through Ichigo's head, Rukia spread her legs a little further and swiveled her hips so his erection lined up perfectly. Ichigo gasped slightly and lifted his head away from Rukia's neck to take a look at her.

She was gorgeous.

Ichigo saw there weren't any walls between them. There was no judging, no pretenses, no unfair expectations or impossible odds standing in their way. It was just him and Rukia, more vulnerable to each other than either of them had ever been in a battle, and they were finally going to share a moment that was completely selfish and just for them. Ichigo was glad they waited until they didn't have any other distractions, because everything seemed to fall away and nothing was more important than having the woman he'd kill and die for wrapped around him and smiling back.

Rukia reached up to caress Ichigo's face and he leaned into her palm before settling onto her lips to engage her in a deep and penetrating kiss. At the same time he gently pushed his hips forward and let himself slide as far into Rukia as her body would let him. It surprised them both when he met no resistance and completely filled her in one stroke. Ichigo panted into Rukia's mouth never feeling more complete and together in his whole life. He never wanted to leave the tight warmth that enveloped him, but a pleading sound from Rukia's throat told him to move. Hesitantly, Ichigo slid out, his eyes rolling back at the restraint it took not to slam back inside. When all of him but the tip of his cock was pulled out, he pushed forward again, more sure of his actions. He and Rukia shared a loud moan and it was clear Ichigo didn't have to hold back.

They met thrust for thrust, grinding together and setting a comfortable pace. Rukia always seemed to understand him and it made their first time come almost naturally. Ichigo idly wondered if it was _Rukia's_ first time. He'd never actually bothered to ask. But as she moaned below him and their foggy but honest eyes met, he didn't have to ask. It would have been an insult to. Rukia was his. He was just as much hers. Centuries didn't mean a thing when it came to how compatible they were. Ichigo loved Rukia more than anything or anyone and they were finally expressing what they meant to each other.

He mouthed the words he rarely said and Rukia rewarded him with another earth shattering smile before mouthing the words back. Ichigo was straining hard to make their movements last and not get over excited. He wanted to please Rukia, he wanted to impress her. Ichigo wanted for Rukia to come first and know that he'd done his job as her partner.

He almost lost it though when Rukia started panting his name like a mantra. Hearing her say his name like a prayer pressed him to move faster, reach deeper. Rukia cried out with want as Ichigo's momentum and drive picked up.

"_Rukia_." He responded lowly. They were starting to move fiercely together, testing how much the other could take. Just like all of their encounters, neither Ichigo nor Rukia backed down. This kind of sex life could eventually kill him if this was only their first time and they were already straining Rukia's relatively new bed frame. Ichigo groaned loudly and forced his tongue into Rukia's moaning mouth. This was exactly how he'd want to die if that were the case.

Rukia grasped desperately at his neck, almost clawing him like a feral wildcat. For all he knew, she was one. Her teeth were getting involved and Ichigo enjoyed the sharp stings on his tongue. Rukia pulled Ichigo closer to her, they were both aching to feel as much of the other as they could. The only time Ichigo felt a smidgen of air between their bodies was the brief moment before he pounded inside her again. Ichigo realized the best way for him to feel more of Rukia without some sort of osmosis would be changing positions. He was extremely willing to try it out.

Ichigo smothered Rukia with his frame for a few seconds while he wrapped his arms around her back. He used muscles he didn't know he had and reared them both up into a sitting position while still firmly inside her. They both cried out as Ichigo slid deeper into Rukia's heat as gravity came into play.

"Ichigo!" Rukia shouted his name before laying her mouth over his again. They weren't even kissing anymore. They were stealing the other's breath while they both panted in exertion. The only reason Ichigo was still upright and not falling to the mattress, was his firm grip around Rukia's back. They were holding each other in the position and using the rest of their strength to meet the other's hips in forceful slams. Ichigo knew they would both have more than a few bruises after the night was over, but he'd never really expected a night between them to go otherwise.

Rukia screamed his name again, her eyes closing tightly as she bit down on her lip. Ichigo's own eyes rolled back, his muscles twitched, and he was helplessly pushing himself closer up and over the edge of delirium. He could feel Rukia loosing her grip as well, ironically, by how tightly she began to cling to him. He felt her tighten around his dick and for the first time Ichigo shouted her name. "Oh fuck, Rukia!"

She let out a whining scream, a sound Ichigo would pay to hear over and over, and Rukia's grip started to loosen as she lost control. Ichigo's hands slid down to her waist and watched Rukia slowly stretch back until she was still straddling his lap but her head touched the bed. Ichigo's mouth fell open as he continued to grip Rukia and pump madly inside her. He was overwhelmed by the sight of her flushed body arched, revealing the contour lines of her small but firm muscles and her peaked breasts totally exposed for him to see. Rukia continued moaning as her orgasm exploded through her.

He felt her come around him in a jolt of wet, delicious heat, and then her body snapped up to grab for him and she shouted his name again. "Ichigo!"

He came the moment she pulled herself up and cried out her name in a grunting yell. "Ru-kia!" Rukia covered her mouth over his as Ichigo felt himself release inside her in a long and hot burst. Her tight muscles milked him for what seemed like eons until they both gasped together in complete satisfaction and Ichigo finally let himself fall back with Rukia going down with him.

Ichigo held her against him, both of their hearts thumping wildly so Ichigo couldn't tell which was coming from Rukia and which was his. They stayed completely still and silent, only their harsh breathing permeating the intimate atmosphere. He was still inside of her and Ichigo found his reluctance to leave her heat still hadn't passed, even after they'd both come. It was amazing. Rukia was amazing. He never wanted to do anything other than sit inside of Rukia and make love to her over and over.

When their hearts slowed to a pace that didn't sound like a cardiac emergency, Rukia's hands lifted to cup Ichigo's face and she gave him a slow but tumultuous kiss that left them both panting for breath again.

"Thank you Ichigo." Rukia whispered with her lips still against his.

Ichigo grinned against her mouth and whispered back. "Don't thank me yet." He said before he met her lips for another kiss and rolled them over so he was on top once more. He broke from her with a fire in his eyes. "I'm not done with you Kuchiki Rukia."

Rukia's eyes widened before Ichigo gave her an evil smile and pounced for round two. For all the mental anguish she'd put him through earlier, he was going to make damn sure that neither of them would have the ability to even process thought until it was absolutely necessary.

* * *

_AN: Oh my gosh, I know you must be really angry at me, and I'm **so sorry. **I tried and failed to get this chapter out before I had surgery, so that's the reason you've had to wait so long. I'm fine by the way, it was just knee surgery, but the pain medication and wonderful drugs they gave me totally knocked me out for a while. They put you to sleep, but you have to take them every 4 hours or less. It's weird. Anywho. I'm SORRY! I'll try not to undergo surgery again. And if I do I'll make sure the story comes first! _

_Hope ya enjoyed the chapter, I know you had to wait forever. The title 'Finally' kinda covers a lot. I'll try and make it up by updating soon, but I can't promise anything. It was my first time writing something...like that...so comments/critiques and stuff are welcome as usual. Thanks so much for reading, I hope you enjoy!_


	27. Support

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. I'm just a fan who enjoys to spread her obsessions._

* * *

Chapter 27: Support

* * *

"Kuchiki-san!" 

Rukia was sitting on a bench off to the side while the rest of the girls were doing PE. She looked up from idly picking her nails to see Orihime running towards her, thankfully in a sports bra, and holding a flat round disk.

"Oh hey Inoue." Rukia greeted with a small smile.

"Kuchiki-san," Orihime gathered her breath before continuing. "Would you like to join the rest of us girls playing this new game? I made it up and it's called Dodgebee! It's really easy and fun."

Rukia gave Orihime a friendly smile and politely declined. "Sorry Inoue, remember that I…fell off of Ichigo's motorcycle?" she said hesitantly.

Orihime's face went blank before the gears kicked into place. "Oh yes, I'm sorry. I forgot that you said you fell and hurt yourself and that's why you're sitting out today." She brightened before offering. "Do you want me to try healing you?"

Rukia's eyes widened and she waved her hands in front of her animatedly. "Oh no! I wouldn't want to trouble you! It's fine really! Nothing some rest and time won't cure. I'm just a little sore." She admitted awkwardly.

She could see Orihime open her mouth to offer help again, but Tatsuki ran up to them panting slightly. "Orihime." She whined. "This game of yours isn't really working out. You can't play dodgeball with a frisbee. It's just a lot of running back and forth trying to find the damn disk."

"But that's the fun of it all!" Orihime cheered with her hands in the air.

Tatsuki snorted. "Fun for you maybe. I feel like a dog playing fetch."

Rukia smirked. "Maybe you should ask Renji to play?" She was eager to change the subject Orihime had brought up.

Tatsuki let out a short laugh. "That does seem like a good idea, but the boys are playing a 'macho' game of _flag_ football." She mocked. She and Rukia joined in a small laugh but Orihime pouted.

"I wish we didn't have separate classes during PE." she frowned. "We never get a chance to play girls versus boys in all out sports war!" Orihime started throwing punches into the air, fighting imaginary villains and/or male classmates while Tatsuki rolled her eyes.

She pat Orihime's head, trying to settle the buxom teen before frowning at Rukia's legs. "You know Rukia, I still don't see how you fell off of Ichigo's bike. You said you scraped your thigh and that's why you're walking funny?"

Rukia forced a smile. "Oh I was stupid enough to tell Ichigo I was ready to go when I wasn't. I just kinda flew off and skid. It's really no big deal, it just kinda…hurts to move around a lot…"

Tatsuki quirked an eyebrow and was about to ask something else, but Rukia was _saved_ by a ball sailing towards their heads. Rukia ducked to the side quickly and the window behind her shattered. Bits of glass fell into her hair but she welcomed the distraction.

Tatsuki turned around and roared. "What's the big idea you idiots?! You could have knocked our heads off!"

"Are you alright Kuchiki-san?" Orihime asked and Rukia nodded her head as a spiky red ponytail popped into view showing who the perpetrator was. Rukia sneered as she shook pieces of the window free from her hair.

"Sorry!" Renji called out as he approached in a cocky jog. "Guess I don't know my own strength." He said as a warped apology. His grin fell when he saw who was sitting under the window he broke and he ran up to the girls quickly. "Shit. Sorry Rukia, you okay? I didn't hit ya did I?"

Rukia grabbed the ball that had rolled under her feet and hurled it at Renji's face. He hit the ground with a satisfying thud when she connected with his forehead. "Seems that I'm fine." Rukia said sweetly. "My aim is still better than yours."

Renji leaned up on one elbow and rubbed the brand new imprint on his forehead. "Guess your arm didn't take much of a beating in that little spill on Ichigo's bike." He grumbled.

"Yeah." Tatsuki agreed, reminded of what she wanted to ask Rukia in the first place. "That's what I don't get. You hurt your legs but not your arms?"

"Well my back is pretty sore too." Rukia muttered sourly. At that point, Ichigo came up to see what was going on and rolled his eyes at the sight of the broken window, a flustered Rukia, and a downed Renji. The situation was pretty clear. He gave his friend on the ground a kick in the shoulder.

"Get up. Unless you did some major surgery, the guys have PE over this way." He said blandly. He met eyes with Rukia and arched an eyebrow. "Are you alright? You seem to be getting into a lot of accidents this week." He said with a hint of smirk.

Rukia's eye started twitching, but Tatsuki spoke before Rukia could let out a growl.

"Ichigo you should watch your speed on that motorcycle. You could have really hurt Rukia." She scolded.

Rukia rolled her eyes when Ichigo tried to look guilty and not like a cocky bastard. "Yeah…I'm really sorry Rukia." He grinned in a way that made Rukia's fists clench. "I could always slow down for you. I wouldn't want you to break anything."

Rukia stomped up to break something of his, but one of her severely overused muscles spasmed and she fell back onto the bench. "Oh I'm _fine_ Ichigo." Rukia challenged through gritted teeth. "I just have to get _used_ to the motorcycle, and then I'll be the one teaching you how to ride."

"Oh really?" Ichigo leaned forward.

"Yes really." Rukia leaned as well.

"So you want more practice?"

Rukia leaned way back. "Not…right now…" she said carefully.

Tatsuki, Orihime, and Renji watched the two with confused faces. "Uh…you guys are talking about motorcycles right?"

Ichigo turned to Tatsuki with a straight face. "What else would we be talking about?"

The tomboy rolled her eyes, satisfied with Ichigo's seemingly clueless answer. Before anyone could say anything else, a passing teacher caught sight of the damaged school property, so the small group booked it, splitting into different directions to avoid catching the blame.

Rukia headed, or rather hobbled uncomfortably towards the locker room to skip the remaining time in PE. She was growing resentful of the students who weren't physically incapacitated by their sex prodigy boyfriends! Of course Rukia hadn't really fallen off of a motorcycle like she and Ichigo had told everyone. She'd been done in by Ichigo and his damn _stamina_. The past few nights—_all night_— the carrot top had been making up for all the years he'd abstained from any basic pleasures, and while Rukia _thoroughly_ enjoyed every second of it, there was indeed a price to pay.

Rukia groaned as she changed back into her skirt and out of the sports shorts she'd been wearing. She shouldn't have even bothered changing in the first place. She was far too sore. As a shinigami and a Kuchiki, it was fair to say that Rukia was as limber as any good warrior should be, but there were a few neglected muscles that did not come into play when fighting hollows…

If Rukia wasn't so painfully stubborn she would have tried using a healing kido on herself, but instead she saw her discomfort as a challenge. _Ichigo_ hadn't shown any signs of soreness, Rukia thought bitterly. Due to simple anatomy, he only had to deal with the pain of that damn smile he'd been sporting since their first time. Then he had the nerve to call Rukia "_old_" and say that she wasn't "_ able to keep up_" with him.

Rukia slammed her PE locker shut and left it with a few dents, her face contorting into a sneer. It was a damn challenge.

Luckily, also due to her background as a shinigami, Rukia knew the importance of tactics. She'd already borrowed a few…educational texts from the public library—despite the horrified blush the bookkeeper had given her— and Rukia was determined to train her body to match and exceed whatever Ichigo could dish out.

Her mind was admittedly in the gutter for the rest of school and only Renji spoke up about it later in the day when they'd been paired as partners for an assignment Ochi-sensei finally got around to handing out.

"You look like you're plotting something evil." He mentioned with an arched and tattooed eyebrow.

Rukia batted her eyes at him. "Who me?"

He responded with a snort. "Innocent face huh? Now I_ know_ something's up your sleeve."

Rukia turned her face away indignantly. "I don't know what you're talking about." She denied. "I'm obviously concentrating on the project in front of us."

Renji shut whatever book they were reading from and narrowed his eyes. "Oh yeah? Then tell me _Kuchiki-san_, what is our project about?"

Rukia could only glare because she honestly hadn't been paying any attention and Renji had caught her fair and square. He acknowledged her hesitation with some snarky laughter and Rukia acknowledged that with a book to this face.

"Oi, that's getting kinda cliche isn't it Rukia?" Ichigo appeared and leaned over Rukia's shoulder pointing lamely at Renji on the floor.

"Did you want something?" She asked irritably.

"Ah. Kaien wants to see where you work." He answered calmly.

Rukia was taken by surprise and unclenched her weapon…err…book. "He does?"

"Yeah." Ichigo stood up and scratched his head. "He's never heard of a kindergarten and I thought it'd be easier to show him rather than explain the whole thing."

Rukia smirked. "You miss giving pony rides don't you?"

Ichigo stuck his tongue out in denial. "I do not! Don't be stupid!" In a lower voice he muttered, "And don't mention that out loud anymore."

Renji pulled himself off the floor. "Did she say pony rides Kurosaki?"

"Shut up!" Ichigo whined.

"You and Kaien can come by the park after school." Rukia answered Ichigo's question.

"Why the park?"

"The class is having a small field trip as celebration for the end of conference week." She explained before her lip curled involuntarily. As excited as she first was to sit in with instructors and parents, she'd discovered that the parents were often more of a hassle than their children.

"Can I come too?" Renji asked.

"You wanna give pony rides now?" Ichigo mocked.

"Be quiet." Rukia rolled her eyes and then shook her head. "Sorry Renji, I can't have you there. Ichigo already made a bad enough impression. The two of you would cause me more trouble."

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked looking insulted. "What did I do? Those brats love me."

"You'll see…" Rukia said cryptically before pushing Ichigo away to start the project she and Renji had been neglecting. Rukia still had her HL lesson that night and then her own _personal_ mission, so she had no room for homework on her weekend schedule.

Luckily the project went by quickly, as did the rest of the school day. By the time Rukia got to work and greeted her class she was ready to explore and experiment on the playground with the kids. She'd been to many playgrounds, but she'd never actually attempted to try out the equipment since attacking hollows usually destroyed them before she got the chance. She also had the suspicion that Ichigo would have mocked her…

"Rukia you've never been on swings?!" Kiyo grabbed Rukia's arm with her small fingers and dragged her over to some seats hanging on a pair of chains. "You have to swing with me! I'll show you how, we can ask Teo to push us."

"It doesn't…require a lot of movement does it?" Rukia asked hesitantly. The little brunette girl shook her head as the boy she'd mentioned earlier jumped up at the prospect of showing off his muscles to his dearest Rukia.

"I'll make sure you get really high." Teo boasted.

"What does this contraption have to do with height?" Rukia wondered before she mimicked Kiyo by taking a seat in the swing next to her. Rukia held onto the chains and expected some sort of motor to propel her, but nothing happened. She turned next to her and watched Kiyo swing her feet out and then tuck them back in. The seat started moving back and forth. "Ah." Rukia observed. "I see. It's more about physics than mechanical dependency."

She was still watching Kiyo get higher and higher, aided by Teo pushing her back from the ground behind her, when two large and warm hands wrapped around hers on the chains. Rukia startled before feeling herself being pulled far back.

"Jeez midget, it's just a freaking swing. Stop analyzing everything." Ichigo breathed into her ear. Before Rukia could snap at him for sneaking up on her, and making her tingle in front of her students, he shoved her forward hard.

Rukia yelped and squirmed, but managed to stay in her seat. She swung high in an arch and caught sight of Kiyo on her left, laughing. Rukia calmed down and felt the whoosh of air as she sailed backwards and felt Ichigo's fingers lightly brushing her back in another push. This time Rukia was prepared and she smiled as she was propelled forward once again. Swinging was fun.

"Pump your legs, lazy ass!" Ichigo called out to her. "I'm not gonna stand here and push you forever."

"Don't swear!" Rukia yelled over her shoulder but she swung her legs like Kiyo had been doing and found herself able to keep the height she'd gained without Ichigo's assistance.

"See it's easy!" Kiyo giggled at her and Rukia joined in with her own laughter.

"Is this your _work_ Kuchiki?"

"Kaien-dono?!" Rukia tried to look over her shoulders, but she only caught a wisp of black spiky hair. "How do I stop this thing?" Rukia called out.

The boys ignored her though, as Ichigo made small introductions. "So this Kaien, is a kindergarten. Rukia looks after and _maybe_ teaches these guys something. But it looks like she learns just as much from them."

"I see." Kaien commented. "She just found people shorter than her to boss around."

Ichigo snorted. "That's exactly what I said."

"I can hear both of you!" Rukia cried as she continued to swing against her will. It started to slow down, but then Ichigo gave her another push and she got started again.

Ichigo continued speaking to Kaien. "And these little brats are—Ahh! What'd you do to your hair?!" Ichigo jumped back to see his own bright color on the head of the kid who reached his knee. He grabbed Teo's head and turned him around. "What did you do?" He asked in disbelief.

"I told you!" Rukia called from the swing. The conference with Teo's parents had been the most unpleasant by far.

"I thought it would be a good way to impress Rukia!" Teo defended himself but tugged awkwardly at his new orange locks. "I thought she had a thing for guys with ugly hair."

"Mine's natural, not ugly!" Ichigo argued.

Teo turned to Kaien with a glower. "I guess she's just got a thing for the same guy no matter what his hair looks like."

"Aw." Kaien pat the mini-Ichigo on the head roughly. "Looks like I'm not the only one with a fan club." Kaien teased. "Kurosaki, you've got some competition on your hands here." he chided.

Ichigo snorted. "Well he can have her."

"I can?!" Teo asked excitedly.

"_He can_?" Rukia asked with less enthusiasm, still swinging. Ichigo moved to give her another push and keep her out of his way, but Rukia used his closeness to kick him in the face instead. She had enough swinging if she had to watch her students _and_ her moron housemates. Rukia jumped gracefully off the swing when it reached it's peak and landed soundly on both feet. She grimaced slightly, the pain reminding her to take it easy. She was still sore. Rukia made a note to look into her _research_ as soon as she got home. "Well that must be the efficient way of vacating the swing set." Rukia said when she recovered. "Doesn't seem very safe…" she murmured.

"Don't shelter these kids." Kaien called out as he grabbed Kiyo and threw her on top of his shoulders. "Kurosaki mentioned lame little pony rides, but you look like a brave girl ready for some real riding huh?" Kiyo gave Kaien a toothy grin before he whisked her off into a grassy area. The rest of the kids skipped behind them trying to keep up, even Teo, who always kept a close eye on his playmate.

Rukia and Ichigo sat down on a bench letting Kaien entertain the whole playground. "He makes us look boring doesn't he?" Ichigo commented raising one eyebrow.

Rukia folded her arms slowly. "Kaien-dono has always been good with people." Her eyes drifted away from the man laughing and down towards her shoe. She dug a small hole into the gravel with her feet. "Kaien-dono has always been good with children." She said quietly.

Ichigo must have sensed the change in mood and tone, and he nudged Rukia's foot with his own. "What's wrong?"

Rukia looked up again and stared as Kaien captured all the children's attention and laughed with them. She turned to Ichigo solemnly. "Miyako would sometimes tell me how happy she was being a shinigami. She enjoyed fighting alongside her husband in the same squad." Rukia gazed once more at Kaien. "Miyako said the only thing that would bring her more happiness…would be giving her husband a child to raise… Kaien-dono would have been a wonderful father. They would have both been wonderful parents." Rukia finished.

She could tell Ichigo felt awkward by the way his body tensed. He fidgeted a bit, but then surprised her when his arm came around her shoulder and his fingers brushed her cheek gently.

She turned to look at him, but he was facing away from her and looking off to the side at Kaien. He licked his lips and opened his mouth to say something, but Rukia stopped him. He didn't need to do any more. Whether it was with a look, a yell, a kick, or a kiss, Ichigo always supplied what Rukia needed at the moment.

He faced her with a frown that turned into confused one when she started smiling at him. "I was just reminiscing Ichigo." Rukia explained calmly. "What matters is that Kaien is here, he's alive, and for now he's happy."

Ichigo looked at her like she was crazy which made Rukia bend the fingers that were still next to her cheek. "Ow!" He cried out and pulled his arm away from her. "You're so weird Rukia. I was going to say that stuff and you beat me to it."

Rukia smirked. "You didn't need to say anything."

"How do you switch moods so fast?" He asked with an annoyed voice, but he put his arm over the back of the seat again.

"I just happen to have a wider range of emotions." Rukia answered easily. "With you, it's either angry or stupid."

"Stupid's not an emotion." Ichigo argued.

"But you pull it off so well." She said with a smile. Ichigo opened his mouth to retort but he was interrupted.

"Eww!" Teo's disgusted voice rang over their heads as he peered over the back of the bench. "You're hogging our teacher!" He accused and pulled on Ichigo's arm, not at all happy with the couple's proximity. Ichigo reached back and yanked the boy over the seat to wrap him in a headlock. Rukia decided to let the abuse go on as Ichigo ground his knuckles into the boy's faux-orange hair.

"You should respect your elders." Ichigo ordered with a devious smirk while Teo struggled to get away. Rukia laughed at Ichigo and his tiny clone when she suddenly felt eyes on them. She looked up across the park and saw Kaien starring at the three of them with a faraway look on his face. He was looking straight at them, but Rukia could see his mind was elsewhere. She moved to get up and find out what was wrong, but suddenly his solemn face broke and he was himself again. Kaien laughed as he hoisted another child onto his shoulders. Rukia frowned at the odd behavior, but the squabbling duo next to her diverted her attention and she forgot to confront Kaien about it.

It took bribery in the form of ice cream to get Rukia's class away from Kaien, and a sharp kick to Ichigo's backside to break up his little grudge match with Teo. But at the end of the day, Rukia was actually pleased that the two had stayed the entire field trip. She barely had to lift a finger with her class and the supervising teacher praised her for bringing in outside entertainment. So the walk home after her students were picked up by their parents was a big relief for Rukia, who had only her HL meeting to go before she had the weekend for herself.

"It's a good thing you didn't let Renji come." Ichigo spoke up with a worn out yawn. "You might have a class full of red-haired freaks with permanent marker stains on their faces."

Rukia snorted lightly. "Now you understand the stress I have to endure all week. Those children need guidance and I'm the beacon to guide them."

Ichigo gave Rukia's holy attitude a sneer but Kaien laughed and ruffled her head in that infuriating manner he always used.

"Watching those kids is just like taking in new recruits from the academy." Kaien said. "You've got the eager ones, the coddled ones, the insecure ones…" he paused and winked at Rukia.

"And the ones you just want to dunk in a toilet." Ichigo interjected with his own biased opinion.

Rukia shook her head. "Well I enjoy what I do. It's nice being able to hone some skills that don't involve spells or zanpakutos."

"Are you talking about finger-painting?" Ichigo chided.

Kaien chuckled. "Are Kuchikis' even allowed to finger-paint?" He asked playfully.

"They shouldn't be." Ichigo muttered right before Rukia threw an elbow into his gut. "Damn!" He cursed in pain while Kaien snickered. "That was right where that little brat bit me!" Ichigo complained. "You wanna teach your students something, teach them to fight fair!"

Rukia almost defended Teo before she thought of what she wanted to ask Kaien about earlier. She turned toward her dark haired companion, ignoring Ichigo's whiney threats. "Kaien-dono." She started. "I saw you look—"

"SHRIEK! SHRIEK! SHRIEK!"

Rukia pulled out her phone and flipped it open. Kaien and Ichigo both stopped walking and looked over her shoulder at the small device.

"Ah, a hollow." Kaien said seriously. Then he broke out into a grin. "It's close by too. Let me take care of this one Kuchiki. I honestly cannot remember the last time I fought a hollow."

Rukia began shaking her head definitively. "I don't think that's a good idea at all. Urahara said—"

"Since when do you need her permission?" Ichigo interrupted. Rukia glared at him, but he continued to stand aloof with his hands in his pockets.

Kaien smirked and took out his gikongai. "You're right, thanks for reminding me Kurosaki."

"Oh no." Rukia said, more forcibly this time. "Absolutely not. I—"

"Just where is this sucker exactly?" Kaien asked as he grabbed Rukia's phone from her hand. She reached take it back, but Kaien easily lifted the locator high above her head before setting out in a run towards a line of trees.

"Kaien-dono!" Rukia called out and gave chase, but threw a harsh glare at Ichigo before doing so. She and Ichigo followed after Kaien and ran through the trees to find themselves in an abandoned clearing, just as the sky broke and a menacing reiatsu filled the air.

It wasn't a strong hollow that appeared and Rukia felt a fair amount of relief when it didn't show any tentacles either. It looked like a dark mantis with long piercing arms and a scuttle of legs holding up its body. The hollow roared in a high pitch as Rukia watched Kaien pop in his soul candy and take shinigami form.

"Kaien-dono!" Rukia called out sharply, hoping to stop the rash lieutenant in his tracks, when Ichigo grabbed her forearm tightly. She gave him another hard and angry look. "What are you doing Ichigo?! Let go!" she ordered.

"Calm down." Ichigo commanded levelly. Rukia looked up at his scowling face and her anger faltered at the sincerity in his eyes. "Let him do it Rukia." He said clearly. "If anything goes wrong he's got us to back him up. You want things to return to normal right? Then you can't treat him like he'll suddenly disappear. Look," Ichigo nodded towards Kaien. "He's having fun."

Rukia looked towards the field and felt her tense body relax. Kaien was patiently sizing up the hollow. He wasn't getting too close but he'd throw a few simple attacks to gage the hollows ability. It was nothing like the last time Rukia had seen Kaien fight a hollow. He was in control of his emotions and his actions and showing the skills any capable shinigami should have.

Ichigo was right. Kaien needed to get back into the swing of things and he seemed to be doing just that. Rukia frowned. She hated it when Ichigo was right, although luckily it wasn't very often. She pried his fingers off of her arm before crossing them over her chest. "Fine." She sighed. "I suppose there's no harm in letting 'boys be boys'. She sneered. Ichigo gave her a small smile before returning his eyes to the fight.

"Nejibana!" Kaien cried out with a gritty smile on his face. He released his zanpakuto and twirled it in his unusual and high stance that resembled dancing. He was merely toying with the hollow now. There was no need for him to release his shikai, but Rukia could see he was aching to use it.

Rukia and Ichigo watched in amusement for a few moments while Kaien played with his prey and stretched his fighting muscles.

"Come on!" Ichigo called out with both hands around his mouth. "Quit showing off like an ass and finish him off! It's getting dark and looks like it's going to rain soon!"

Despite the setting sun, Rukia clearly saw Kaien's smug and playful smirk before he brought his zanpakuto down for a final attack. He broke the white mask cleanly and the hollow dissipated into the atmosphere, unaware that it never stood a chance.

Kaien threw Nejibana proudly over his shoulder and laughed. "That was some pretty fun stuff!" He said excitedly coming down from the high of a fight. "Not much of a challenge but it was nice to actually release."

"Alright, alright." Rukia rolled her eyes. "You had your fun, now lets go back home. Renji's probably waiting for dinner and starving by now."

"He's probably mooching off Urahara actually." Ichigo said casually before nodding at Kaien. "I've never seen a stance like that. I've gotta admit, it's pretty cool." He smirked.

Kaien swung his zanpakuto around in the air by his fingers "Thanks." He showed off a bit more. "I've been told a lot about how unique and not to mention, awesome Nejibana is." He said arrogantly before he laughed and scratched his head. "I just remember working so hard to impress Miy…"

He stopped suddenly. His smile fell and his eyes widened as his whole body went abruptly still before it began to tremble. Rukia stopped breathing when she realized what name Kaien was about to bring up. She looked quickly to Ichigo and saw him tense as he figured it out himself.

"Kai—"

"AAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH!"

Kaien's heart shattering scream caused Rukia to jump back into Ichigo's chest in alarm. His agonized cry rang throughout the area and flocks of birds took their leave at the sound. Rukia's knees wobbled as he screamed and pumped out a shock of his dreadful reiatsu uncontrollably. Kaien dropped his zanpakuto and fell to his knees grabbing his head. "_Miyako_! Oh shit, oh shit! No, no, no NOOOOO! Shit! _This_ is how it happened?!"

Rukia was scared out of her mind, but went to run for Kaien as soon as he hit the ground. But Ichigo grabbed her firmly by the waist and shoulder and pulled her hard against him. "What are you doing?!" Rukia yelled for the second time. "Let me go Ichigo!"

"Knock it off!" Ichigo yelled back just as fiercely with none of the patience he'd shown her earlier. "We don't…just wait a second." Rukia looked up and saw the conflicted look on Ichigo's face. He wanted to run to Kaien just as much as she did. Another tortured roar of pain rang out; sounding almost animalistic, and Rukia realized why Ichigo was hesitating.

Kaien was screaming in agony and neither of them really knew if it was from the grief of his memories or something more sinister. Urahara mentioned a possible connection with the hollow. Ichigo was just trying to protect her if something really went wrong.

"Oh Kami!" Kaien cried over and over. Rukia could see he was crying now and she dug her fingers into Ichigo's arms to keep herself from going to the broken man.

"Oh Kami! Miyako! The mission! That damned hollow! I remember _everything_!" Kaien looked up from the ground briefly, grief etched into his normally smiling face and he made eye contact with Rukia. More memories seemed to come to him. "Fuck!" He yelled again, his horror refreshed. "That _nightmare_! That was…that was…That was _her_! It ate her, it killed her, I saw her get _eaten_!"

He screamed and cursed some more, slamming his fists and face into the ground in a sobbing heap. Rukia felt her own rare tears ebb at her eyelashes before sliding down her cheek. She couldn't do anything again. She was useless to change events that had already happened. Kaien wasn't physically dying, but Rukia could see he was being destroyed from the inside out. His heart and mind clawing inside of him, wishing everything was a lie.

Rukia let Ichigo press her tightly enough so he was constricting her breathing. She wanted nothing more than to sink right into him and hide from the reality that decided to show it's ugly face. They stood together, stock-still, unable to tear their gaze from Kaien or move forward to comfort him just yet.

He didn't seem to be transforming into a monster like they'd all feared. And Rukia had honestly begun to expect a white mask to appear over his face, as it seemed his heart had just broken into pieces. Instead he just cried into the ground and gripped clods of grass as if his world was flipping upside down and he was barely hanging on. The mulched dirt under Kaien's grasping fingers quickly turned into mud, as a shower of icy rain fell upon them all.

Rukia felt cursed with each needle-like drop signifying all the worst moments in her life and Ichigo sighed his bitter agreement into her wet hair. He loosened his hold and they both made their way towards the man who was probably too numb to feel the storm falling down on them.

Rukia slid to her knees and reached out to Kaien's shoulder. His body jerked away before she could touch him. "Get away from me!" He cried out sounding muffled, as he hadn't lifted his face from the ground. Rukia reached again and when Kaien tried to push her away, Ichigo's sturdy hand landed on his other shoulder and kept him from fighting them off.

Rukia brought her other hand to Kaien's forearm, easing him slowly out of the mud before he drowned himself in the rising puddle water. He didn't pull away this time, but stared at the ground in front of him. The three of them looked off at nothing in particular, getting drenched in the rain but staying connected through the small support they could offer. Rukia had received her fair amount of support from both men at the times when she needed it most. She was more than willing to return the favor and she was grateful that Ichigo was the compassionate person he was to offer his strength to a man he'd once considered a threat.

They stayed in silence for so long, Rukia almost missed hearing Kaien begin to speak.

"I…I…"

"You don't need to say anything." Rukia spoke quietly vaguely remembering she'd just said those words to Ichigo when the day didn't seem like a nightmare.

But Kaien shook his head and tried to continue. "I…" He coughed and tried to gather his voice. "I died right after Mi…" He paused and took a deep but warbling breath. "Miyako, didn't I? I—Shit, you were there Kuchiki. I remember, how I ran off and dragged you along. I…I died. In your arms…Shit. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize." Rukia swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to sound strong and stern. Ichigo's eyes were on her and she felt surer. "Don't be foolish and apologize for something that isn't even your fault. That's not how you taught me to act."

Kaien didn't argue. He sat silently a few moments more before he started again. "We knew…" Kaien spoke softly. "Miyako and I. We knew what kind of dangers we'd face if we got married and became shinigami. We knew this could happen and I went crazy anyway. I dragged you into it and—"

"Shut up!" Rukia yelled, startling herself and both men near her. She blinked away angry and unwanted tears. "Don't ever blame yourself for caring about someone! You and Miyako…you were what I strove to be. I'm thankful for all the lessons you've taught me and I've learned…I've learned that being with someone you love is worth any hardships you have to endure."

Rukia didn't look at either man as she spoke. She didn't want to see the beaten and apologetic look on Kaien's face, or the soft and concerned one on Ichigo's.

"Do I really sound like that?" Kaien chuckled weakly. "I've got to work on my speeches."

Rukia jerked her surprised eyes down at him. He was actually managing a small smile. "K…Kaien-dono…" Rukia said faintly, amazed at his strength

Kaien closed his eyes and nodded before easing himself up. Rukia and Ichigo reluctantly dropped their hands from his shoulders, when he seemed steady. The three of them stood up and Kaien clenched his fists.

"I'm not…alright. …I feel…" He shook his head slowly. "I don't understand any of this, but at least I remember who I am and what happened."

Rukia looked at Kaien as if he'd aged hundreds of years, which perhaps he had. He seemed complete now that he had his memories of Miyako, painful though they were. He was hurting. That much was obvious. But Rukia could see his shinigami and his Shiba clan pride pushing him to stand up when he felt like falling. To look ahead when he felt like sobbing. To live when he felt like dying. That was a speech he'd given her before as well.

"You wanna get out of this rain?" Ichigo spoke up with the question and Kaien nodded.

"I…I'd like some more of that TV stuff." Kaien asked meekly. Rukia gave him a small smile understanding that he'd need time and plenty of distractions in order to move forward. She and Ichigo followed him after he'd climbed back into his body and they set off solemnly towards her house.

Walking close next to her, Ichigo discreetly let his hand slide into her smaller one and their fingers laced together.

The rain didn't let up on their walk, but to Rukia it somehow felt like less of a burden with Ichigo's hand in hers.

* * *

_AN: I'm still getting back into the swing of writing, so stay with me! Or not, it's your call, lol. I don't have anything to say so I just hope everyone enjoys their week and thanks SO MUCH for all the support! I love reading your reviews and thoughts, it really encourages me to keep going. On the flip side, if you have any issues with the fic, feel free to tell me so I may improve. Thanks again!_


	28. Plans

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Heck, Kubo's doing such a great job (go 317!) that I'm satisfied just basking in his glory._

* * *

Chapter 28: (Foolish) Plans

* * *

Only a week had passed since Kaien had regained his memories on that first rainy evening of the season, but in Ichigo's head it felt as if whole months had gone by. He was even having trouble finishing up a simple worksheet as he sat at Rukia's desk listening to some background music through his earphones. It wasn't the downpour of rain that lasted almost all week that set him on edge, but rather Rukia and Kaien's change of behavior after the incident.

He gripped his pen tightly as he thought about Rukia's sudden vow of abstinence and how it suspiciously corresponded with a new exercise regime she'd taken up. It involved nothing but a lot of bending over in front of him and stretching in various enticing positions. Ichigo wasn't aware of any style of fighting that required a person to flex both legs behind their head…

Ichigo would never willingly compare himself to Keigo, but he was finding more in common with the guy as the little midget was pushing his buttons…more like one certain button with her new, 'look, but don't touch policy'.

Ichigo growled a bit to himself. He had the sneaking suspicion Rukia knew exactly how it was affecting him and she was doing it on purpose. Perhaps he went too far in making fun of her at school about their…escapades.

Ichigo ran both hands through his hair and turned the volume higher in order to drown out his grievances. Rukia's antics were annoying and stressful, but what really had his stomach in knots was how Kaien was after his memories returned. Ichigo could deal with mourning and moping, or even an all around depressing aura, as he wasn't always a ball of sunshine himself, but Kaien had been acting…_normal_.

And that just didn't sit right in Ichigo's book.

For the first few days, Kaien had literally lived on the couch doing nothing but watch the TV screen on Rukia's wall. He sat there the entire weekend and didn't say a word. Ichigo wasn't even sure he was looking at the images on the screen or taking in anything going on around him. But after those two days, Kaien had stood up on Monday morning and told Rukia and Ichigo that he'd be joining them for school like any other day. He smiled, he joked, and he even started to agree that Inoue's food was off. Apparently along with his memories of Miyako, Kaien's sense of taste returned.

At first Ichigo was confused. He didn't understand how Kaien could push all his grief away to the back of his mind and go on like nothing had happened. No person was that strong or pig headed and Ichigo knew a _fucking lot_ of strong and pig headed people. Rukia seemed to believe that Kaien was just trying to be a good role model and act the way a shinigami officer would during times of mourning. She told Ichigo not to question Kaien's behavior because everyone dealt with tragedy differently. She also hit him repeatedly to drive the point home and encouraged him to silently support Kaien instead of acting rashly.

But by mid-week Ichigo's bruises had healed and Kaien's attitude was irking him to no end. Everyone grieved in their own way, and Kaien obviously wanted to put up a brave front, but Ichigo wasn't buying it. He wasn't a typically nosy guy, but he couldn't help feel that something else was up and he needed to know what it was.

With a deep sigh, a sign that he was abandoning his homework for the time being, Ichigo yanked out his earplugs right on cue to hear the front door slam. He frowned as he checked his watch and realized it was too early for Rukia to be home. Pushing himself off Rukia's comfy chair and out the office door Ichigo looked around.

"Kaien?" He called out. Ichigo scratched his head and wondered if the older shinigami had gone to the guesthouse for a midday nap, but his gut told him otherwise.

Ichigo grabbed his jacket and trotted out the door and down the porch to see Kaien headed for the driveway. Ichigo wasn't in the mood to play detective so he ran after Kaien, letting his presence become known.

"Oi! Where are you going Kaien?"

Kaien stopped and slowly turned his head over his shoulder. Ichigo couldn't make out Kaien's eyes as his dark hair shadowed them. "I'm going to Urahara's." he said simply.

Ichigo shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to look relaxed when he felt anything but. "Well…you wanna wait until Rukia gets off work? I think she'd like to go with you if it's something important."

Kaien glanced at the ground and then started walking again. "It'll probably be better to do this while she's not here. You can come if you want though Ichigo."

Ichigo grew even more concerned and scowled before he started quietly after Kaien.

The walk was silent and tense as if Kaien was aware of something Ichigo wasn't. It didn't help his rousing suspicions when they approached the shop and Urahara was waiting for them in a darkened back room.

"I can't say I wasn't expecting you Shiba-kun." Urahara spoke, looking especially eerie without his customary fan shielding his face. "Was Kuchiki-san otherwise engaged?" he asked with his own brand of sarcasm.

"I don't want her here for this." Kaien said.

Urahara waved a hand before the table, motioning for the two to sit down. "Shiba Kaien is most likely trying to spare Kuchiki-san from potentially bad news. That should be in your interest as well Kurosaki-kun."

Ichigo sat, but he in no way felt at ease. He glanced back and forth between the older men who seemed to be staring each other down with unspoken acknowledgement. The silence and stifling aura in the room got to him quickly and he was in no mood for some kind of staring contest

"Enough with this cryptic bullshit!" Ichigo yelled as his patience ran out. "Tell me what's going on!"

Neither Urahara or Kaien seemed affected by Ichigo's outburst, but Kaien finally sighed and looked Ichigo in the eye for the first time. "I think my soul is connected to the hollow that killed Miyako."

Ichigo's eyes widened and his hand inched toward his badge. He didn't like where this was heading.

"No need for zanpakutos." Urahara said lightly. "We're not in immediate danger…I think." He grinned before he started to explain. "I didn't go into the specific details of the hollow's connection to Shiba before because I wanted to wait until his memories had returned and things were more conclusive."

"How conclusive?" Ichigo butted in impatiently. "What kind of connection are you talking about?"

Urahara shook his head at Ichigo's eagerness, but answered anyway. "I explained before that Kaien was here due to contact with trace elements of the hougyoku brought out by you and Kuchiki-san correct?"

Ichigo blinked back at him. He still wasn't clear on Urahara's first little rant. That night he'd been greatly distracted by a flirty Kaien making odd assumptions about Rukia.

Urahara sighed and then actually rolled his eyes. "Why does everyone ask me things and not bother listening to the answers?"

Ichigo felt a smack to the back of his head and glared at Kaien whose hand was still poised for another attack. "Pay attention this time will you?" He nodded at Urahara. "Once more so the kid can get it."

"Like you don't understand it either." Ichigo muttered before crossing his arms.

"Alright." Urahara started to explain again, but without Rukia's (unhelpful) diagrams. "Kaien was taken over by the hollow Metastacia, who bonded their souls and then regenerated in Heuco Mundo after Kuchiki-san killed him. However he was then eaten by the former 9th espada Aaroniero, who was able to absorb both of their abilities. The former espada was also killed by Kuchiki-san, but his remains were used in a last ditch effort by Aizen himself in order to finish off Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Right, right, right." Ichigo interrupted, catching the gist this time. "Lots of mixing of too much power and everything ran together to shit out Kaien here in the mortal realm because Rukia and I happened to be involved in all of it. I got it now." Ichigo was mentally blaming Urahara for being the one to invent all the shit that Ichigo found himself buried under.

"I suppose you could put it that way…" Urahara frowned.

"Can we talk about my current predicament now?" Kaien folded his arms impatiently.

"Yes." Urahara answered. "I figured out when you first arrived in the form of a hollow that your soul was prone to that kind of dark reiatsu. If you were a pure shinigami soul or even a human again then that wouldn't have happened at all. Then I remembered that the hollow who first took over your body was an experiment of Aizen's and I did some research. Metastacia was his name and his ability to join with a shinigami was unlike any other hollow ability I've seen before."

Urahara peered at Kaien from under his bucket-striped hat, and Ichigo could see the sorrow in his usually mysterious eyes.

"Even in death your souls were…and are… still bonded together. You must have known something was wrong on that night Rukia told me about your nightmare."

Ichigo wasn't there, but he remembered what Rukia had told him and then what Kaien had repeated when his memories returned. Kaien saw visions that weren't his own. They belonged to the hollow.

"Yeah." Kaien admitted softly. "Ever since I remembered what happened…I can feel…another presence."

Ichigo felt his own experiences give him determination. "If it's anything like a Vizard's problem. Then I can help. I know what you're going through."

"You don't." Urahara said firmly. "You do have a hollow inside you, but he is a part of your soul. What is going on with Shiba is very different. They are separate entities in different bodies but with a soul link."

Ichigo's face creased into a scowl. "Well then it's less of a problem right? We can just kill this Meta…guy like any other hollow."

"Wrong again." Urahara shook his head and then made a grave face. "As I said, Metastacia's absorption abilities are like none I've ever seen. The link between Shiba Kaien and Metastacia is inter-dependent. You cannot kill one without killing the other."

Ichigo sagged as the statement weighed on him, but Urahara wasn't through.

"You've also forgotten about Metastacia's other abilities. Even if Kaien or the hollow were to be struck down, Metastacia will be able to regenerate in Heuco Mundo taking Kaien's soul along with it, effectively consuming him all over again. And," Urahara began once more to Ichigo's dismay. "And…I'm afraid because of this link, it will be searching you out Shiba Kaien."

Ichigo stiffened at this new threat that he couldn't finish off, but Kaien gave Urahara a deviant smile as if he hadn't heard a thing he wasn't expecting.

"That bastard can come after me all he wants. I can sense him. I know he wants a second chance to feed on me like he failed to do before. But this time I'll get my revenge for Miyako and our comrades!"

"Did you not hear what I said?" Urahara spoke with a slight edge to his voice. "Neither you or Kurosaki or any other soul reaper will have the power to end this hollow permanently. Not to mention you would never again be able to live as you are now."

"I don't plan on coming back." Kaien said with a resolve that hitched Ichigo's breath. "We're going to end this."

"Who is this we?" Urahara asked coyly, knowing full well there was reason Kaien had come to him in the first place.

"You were the one that created the hougyoku." Kaien stated. "And Kurosaki and Kuchiki have had contact with its power. It's because of them that I can get this second chance for revenge."

Ichigo felt a flutter of real fear for the first time. "Wait a minute Kaien. What are you saying?"

"I'm saying if you and Kuchiki had enough traces to bring me out in the first place, then you two should have enough power to kill us both for good."

Ichigo grabbed Kaien by the collar and pulled him to his feet. "Do you know what the hell you're asking?!"

Kaien looked completely sure of exactly what he was implying and Ichigo had never before wanted to hit him as much as he did right then.

"You can't ask Rukia to do that." Ichigo gritted out.

"Why not?" Kaien gave him a sad smirk. "She's already got experience."

Ichigo's fist connected solidly into Kaien's jaw and the taller man stumbled hard against the opposite wall. "Shit Ichigo!" Kaien cursed and rubbed his already swollen face. "I'm completely serious about what I'm asking, but that part was just a joke."

Ichigo wasn't amused and was in fact gearing up to knock Kaien around until the very idea of asking Rukia to kill him for the _third _time was beaten out of his head.

Kaien stood slowly and held up both hands. He sighed and looked imploringly. "Look Kurosaki," he said solemnly. "It's the only way. You think I want Kuchiki to suffer this way? I can see her guilt when she looks at me and I know that I'll never be able to fix that. But…this has to be done. This has to end."

Ichigo shook as he held back another punch. "Why are you giving up so easily?!" he yelled hoping to reach the man he'd befriended. "Are you that eager to die? How can you spout inspiring shit to people who look up to you and then throw in the towel like this?!"

"I'm a FREAK Kurosaki!" Kaien screamed. "I can feel it! I can feel that hollow! That nightmare I had, those were that _things_ memories of consuming _my own wife_! I can't ever face Miyako if I know my very existence is tied to the fucker that ate her! I'm not supposed to be here at all! I'm not supposed to be alive! I passed on my heart to my nakama, and that was supposed to be the end of it! I fought for my pride, for my family and Rukia ended it that night! You think I'd let her go through that if I thought that wouldn't be the end of it?! Everything's just gone to shit now! I don't want to die but I can't live like this!"

They both stood face to face panting with the exertion of their yelling. Ichigo didn't agree with Kaien, but he could understand why he was so desperate. They wouldn't get anywhere trying to argue.

Ichigo turned to Urahara who was still sitting in his seat during the screaming match. "There's got to be another way Urahara. You just need power right? What if I use my ma—"

"It's not like that Ichigo." Urahara shook his head. "Power of that consistency needs to be concentrated and controlled so it doesn't destroy everything in an instant."

"What about the power I used when I saved Rukia?"

Urahara gave him a shrewd look. "Do _you_ even understand what happened then?"

Ichigo honestly had no clue and the blonde decided to give him a hint.

"That was instinct, grief, desperation, rage, and a heap of dumb luck. Can you even imagine feeling that way again?"

"No." Ichigo admitted hoarsely. He couldn't. That night was a blur. He'd simply reacted to seeing Rukia die in front of him. There was no way he could go through that again. He'd never let it happen again.

"Look," Kaien said after his breathing had evened out. "I'm not a scientist, that's why I came here in the first place. Do Ichigo and Rukia even have the potential to destroy that hollow bastard for good?"

Urahara took out his trusty fan finally and waved through the thick atmosphere. "I was wondering when you two were going to stop shouting at each other and even ask me if that was possible."

Ichigo and Kaien slumped to the floor in two defeated heaps. "You bastard." Ichigo moaned to no one in particular.

"Luckily for you—the both of you." Urahara corrected himself. "I've been thinking about this predicament since Shiba-kun first arrived. And while yes, I believe that I will need both Kurosaki and Kuchiki-san's hougyoku contamination to make this work, I might have a solution that will satisfy all parties involved. Except of course our hollow antagonist Metastacia."

Ichigo sat up feeling hopeful for the first time that day. "What solution?"

"A weapon." Urahara pointed out.

Ichigo's hope faltered. "You're not going to make another hougyoku thing are you?" he asked irritably.

Urahara pouted. "I'm a scientist not an idiot." He said lowly. "I've been thinking about some kind of weapon that could harness the trace powers of the hougyoku still present in you and Kuchiki-san and release it to the point where it no longer existed or had any ill effects on anyone or anything that it came in contact with."

"You could harness that power to gather and release the remnants of the hougyoku so that it could eliminate the hollow that killed Miyako?!" Kaien caught on immediately.

"Such a bright one you are!"

"So…" Ichigo started slowly. "Kaien wouldn't have to die?"

"Well…" Urahara sobered once more. "I could construct this weapon, but I would not be able to guarantee a perfect success. Theory and application of theory are two very different things."

"What kind of failure are we looking at?" Kaien asked.

Urahara's eyes looked skyward and rolled around. "Failure can be such a broad and ugly word—"

"Urahara!" Ichigo and Kaien cried out in tandem.

"I can't promise anyone in the general vicinity would live." Urahara said quickly. "I can't actually ensure anyone would actually die either. This isn't the type of experiment that I have time to test out."

"It doesn't matter." Kaien said sounding determined. "I'll take my chances." He looked to Ichigo to see if he was alone or not.

Ichigo stared at the store floor. He wanted to help Kaien. He wanted to support him and fight against the sick hollow who destroyed his and Rukia's pasts. But…Ichigo would never risk Rukia's life on some theory.

"Does…Does Rukia have to be involved for this to work?" Ichigo asked slowly, already regretting what he was signing himself up for.

Urahara was silent for a moment. "Assuming that you'll argue with me until my ears fall off…I suppose I wouldn't be able to say her presence was _absolutely_ necessary."

Ichigo sighed and hoped Rukia would forgive him. "Then you can start making that weapon Urahara. If anyone is going to pull this off, I'll do it."

After leaving Urahara's shop and walking back to Rukia's, Ichigo could feel his own personal storm cloud brewing above his head. He wasn't a strategist, that was Ishida and Rukia's territory, but Ichigo sure as hell knew a bad idea when he saw one. And making a secret pact between Urahara, Kaien, and himself definitely topped the list.

Ichigo didn't so much have a problem with confronting a dangerous hollow, and he trusted Urahara not to get him killed…mostly. His real issue lied in the very condition that he'd specifically set, that Rukia was not to be involved in anything they were doing. It was obvious that little mission was doomed to failure. Rukia would inevitably find out and then she would inevitable aim to kill him.

Of course being aware of that fact didn't stop Ichigo from going through with it. He was fully aware that his hero complex would indeed be the death of him.

"So what do you wanna tell Rukia?" Kaien asked easily, as if all of his worries had been lifted from his shoulders.

"What do you mean what'll we tell her?" Ichigo asked icily. "We're not telling her anything." Even Urahara, under threat of having his hat and cane shoved up his ass, was sworn to secrecy. "It's bad enough we're leaving her out of this, I don't think I could lie to her face too." Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck wondering how far he'd have to go to keep Rukia at a safe distance.

Kaien shrugged and glanced at Ichigo. "We have to tell her something if she notices I'm not changing into a shinigami."

Ichigo winced at that reminder. The one condition of the whole plan that would make it difficult to hide the truth, was that Urahara required Nejibana. He said Kaien's zanpakuto would make the perfect vessel to house the 'ultimate weapon.' Kaien was reluctant to give away his main mode of defense and reflection of his whole being, but he was also dead set on finishing the whole ordeal, so he willingly handed it over. That being said, even if Kaien still had his kidou powers to defend himself, Rukia would definitely notice the lack of his zanpakuto. So they decided to keep Kaien from changing into a shinigami to avoid Rukia asking questions.

Ichigo groaned and Kaien slapped him on the back in what he assumed was supposed to be an encouraging manner. "Ah don't worry about it." Kaien nodded confidently. "If she asks, I'll just tell her that I'm not quite ready to charge into battles like I used to. The key to any good lie is using half-truths."

Ichigo snorted with some disdain. "So you're a pro at lying huh?"

"I was a good husband." Kaien stated firmly with steel in his eyes. They softened after a moment and he continued with a scratch to his jaw. "I was a bit stubborn and brash…like someone else I know…but I know I was a good partner to Miyako." He made a confident fist and smiled at Ichigo. "Now I can finally set things right and get rid of this burden once and for all."

Ichigo shook his head slowly as they continued walking, getting closer to Rukia's. Of course Kaien's spirits were high. The man had a goal, a purpose, and a way to give fate a bitch slap for messing up his life. Kaien didn't have a partner/vengeful midget girlfriend he was keeping a secret from. But even the prospect of justice was making Kaien happy and Ichigo wasn't going to back out and take that away from him.

"Alright." Ichigo sighed wearily. "You say whatever you need to if Rukia asks. I'm just concerned with how we both agree not to say a _word_ about this to her, right?"

"Right." Kaien repeated with a stiff nod.

Ichigo turned to Kaien pointing his finger out for emphasis. "And you won't go off on some revenge mission all by yourself talking about pride and shit right?"

"Sure." Kaien agreed again.

"Cause you need me and you need what Urahara's working on to stop it right?"

"Riiiight." Kaien moaned. "Stop nagging me. I know the plan, and I know how to pull off a successful mission. You just need to concentrate on not shitting your pants if Rukia questions you."

Ichigo scowled and crossed his arms as they rounded the bend towards Rukia's driveway. "I'm not going to shit my pants." He grumbled. "I'm just getting the facts straight. We've just got to keep low for awhile." He paused with his hand on his chin trying to figure things out. "I'll take care of the regular hollows like I usually do and you can just sit back and watch. Rukia's busy with her job during the week. Not to mention those shinigami classes she teaches. It shouldn't be too hard now that I think about it." Ichigo nodded to himself trying to bolster his own confidence. "We'll just keep things simple and calm and make sure nothing too exciting happens while—LOOK OUT!"

Ichigo shoved Kaien out the way just in time to avoid a speeding car come within an inch of turning them both into hood ornaments. Ichigo fell on his ass, landing in a mud pit the previous week's rain had left behind, while the car that almost careened into them came to an immediate stop. Ichigo stomped his mud-covered body up to the driver's side door to vent his disapproval.

"WHAT KIND OF IDIOT ARE YOU?! Where did you learn how to drive?! You almost KILLED us!" he roared before the driver even stepped out.

Ichigo _did_ almost shit his pants when it was none other than his father who stepped out, looking not the least bit guilty for his near vehicular homicide.

"I guess I'm the kind of idiot who lets his teenage son shack up with his girlfriend." Isshin declared lewdly as he shoved past Ichigo and made way to shake hands with a flustered, albeit slightly amused Kaien.

Ichigo didn't exactly have a comeback on hand for that little remark, so he settled for scowling and clenching his fists until the blood wasn't able to reach his fingers.

"What are you doing here?" Ichigo hissed with subdued rage.

In classic Isshin fashion, the grown man started bawling and wept into Kaien's shoulder hysterically. "The girls have left me!" he moaned.

"About time." Ichigo muttered.

Isshin promptly ignored him. "For the first year ever they didn't want to join their daddy on the annual Kurosaki Family Music Festival Outing Extravaganza! They're growing up so fast!" Isshin wept.

It took Ichigo a moment to translate what his father was blathering on about before he remembered exactly what festival he was talking about. "Oh yeah, that festival." Ichigo slapped his head as he was reminded. Inoue had brought up the thing weeks ago and once Rukia heard that there was a fireworks display to top off the evening, she insisted that they take Kaien. Ichigo completely forgot that it took place that weekend.

"Karin joined one of the bands performing," Isshin continued. "And my sweetest Yuzu said I would embarrass her in front of her friends!" He dropped Kaien's now drenched shirt to grab a hold of Ichigo's arms. "Can you believe my beautiful angels have abandoned me already! They're taking after their idiot ungrateful brother!"

"Hey!" Ichigo objected before freeing himself from his father's grip and crossing his arms. "Don't blame me for your bad parenting skills. It's your own fault for being so dramatic that nobody wants to hang around you."

"Don't let daddy be all alone!" Isshin pleaded before suddenly taking in his son's appearance. "You can't go dressed like that though." Isshin remarked

Ichigo looked down at himself, decked in a nice coat of gritty, soggy mud. He snarled at the state he was in. "Who the hell's fault do you think this is anyway?" he demanded.

Isshin blew him off and grabbed for Kaien again, who was fortunate enough to miss the mud puddle completely. "No matter. I'll just borrow our friend here and I'll show him the real thrills of one of Karakura's best yearly events. You and my third daughter can catch up to us later." Isshin gave Kaien a cheesy wink and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "You know we've never had a chance to talk one on one and yet I feel as if I've met you in a previous life."

Before Ichigo or Kaien could utter any kind of approval or rejection, Isshin had shoved Kaien in the car and effectively abducted the man before he could resist. "Make sure you wash up before you bring Rukia-chan!" Isshin waved out the window and backed the car into the same mud, soaking Ichigo-again- from the top of his spiky head to his formerly white sneakers. Then he sped off without another word leaving Ichigo standing all by himself.

"Dammit." Ichigo cursed at his madman of a dad. "How the hell am I actually related to that psycho…"

He shook all the loose mud he could by stomping his way to the house, cursing under his breath the whole way. His footsteps only lightened when he trod into the house, as Rukia wouldn't be thrilled about angry mud prints all over her floor.

As soon as Ichigo carefully shed his clothes, he made way for Rukia's shower turning the heat as high as his skin would allow and stepped under the pressurized showerhead. He let out a long sigh and leaned forward to rest his head against the cool tile as hot water pounded down against him.

He wasn't in a festive mood _at all_. He didn't want to go anywhere or do anything. Ichigo lifted his head enough to feel the water drip off his eyelashes and then shook his head with a snort. His and Kaien's plan was already tanking. There was nothing calm or simple about a group outing to a very popular and public event; much less one that involved his dad. Ichigo scowled as he mused about his dad and his odd behavior. Well…his _odder_ behavior. It was so strange the way he randomly whisked Kaien away like that. Normally his dad would torture him a bit more about Rukia, having grandkids, or something else asinine, but he seemed to be stopping by just to pick up Kaien.

"Ichigo?"

Ichigo rose from his thoughts and saw Rukia's small shape through the foggy shower screen. "Oi, you back home already?" Ichigo cracked the door open to stick his head out.

"Obviously," Rukia smirked as she sat on the tub across the bathroom and rubbed her feet. "And Ukitake-taicho even gave me a day off from HL lessons so—What happened to your hair?" she blurted.

Ichigo's eyes swept up to peer through the wet bangs plastering his forehead but didn't see anything until Rukia got up and reached forward to pull a gob of mud from his hair.

"Oh that." Ichigo huffed before pulling back into the shower to wash more thoroughly. "Dad came by and decided to give me a mud bath with his freaking car."

He heard Rukia shuffling around outside the shower while she chuckled. "Oh really? I guess that explains it then. Did he do something to Kaien as well? I noticed he wasn't here."

"Yeah." Ichigo called. "It was weird. He said he wanted to bond or something and then dragged him to that music thing tonight."

"Well it makes sense. They really have a lot in common don't they." Rukia replied.

Ichigo paused in his scrubbing as he considered that statement. "Yeah." He agreed softly, finally realizing why his dad took Kaien out on his own. "I guess they do."

"I'm glad then." Rukia announced before jerking open the door and stepping into the shower herself.

"AHH!" Ichigo slipped back in surprise as Rukia stood under the water in his previous spot. "What are you doing?!"

Rukia ignored him and started rinsing her hair. "Your father should really be able to get through to Kaien. He's oddly eloquent when he wants to be." She turned around to face him and Ichigo instinctively looked away.

Rukia laughed. "Oh my Kurosaki-kun! I'm sorry. Sometimes I forget how shy you are." She teased in _that _voice.

Ichigo's face and other visible parts flamed in embarrassment. He crossed his arms and glared at her, actively keeping his eyes from wandering too much. "You just caught me off guard dammit." He said regaining his composure.

"Yeah…you do seem out of it lately." Rukia's laughs subsided and she stepped closer, adding some soap into her palm. "You've still got mud all over you." She scolded lightly. "Can't you even wash yourself without someone showing you how?" She grabbed his shoulders and turned him around to wash his back. When she was finished she started washing the rest of the mud that Ichigo missed or hadn't gotten to yet. Slowly Ichigo realized he couldn't get any cleaner and Rukia was simply massaging him in the comfortably steamy shower. They were facing each other again and her hands made a path from his wrists up to his forearm, then to his biceps, squeezing the hard muscles a bit more firmly. She massaged all the way to the cords in his neck to loosen him up. The scowl fell from Ichigo's face and his eyes slipped closed as Rukia continued to rub him down slowly. She hadn't touched him like this all week, and it served as a good reminder for Ichigo that pissing her off had worse consequences now that they were together. He'd rather take a kick to the groin over receiving the cold shoulder from Rukia for more than a day.

After a few relaxing moments she suddenly asked, "You want to tell me what's been bothering you now?"

Ichigo's eyes popped open and the tension her ministrations had melted away came flooding back. "Huh?" he responded dumbly.

"You've got guilt written all over your face."

_Shit,_ his mind screamed, but his mouth attempted to keep cool. "I don't have a guilty face." He argued. "This is the face I make when my girlfriend won't let me touch her all week then jumps in the shower with me."

"You realize your hands are on my ass right now don't you?" she responded coyly.

Ichigo blinked, looked down, and sure enough his hands had settled a few inches south of her waist, holding her in an intimate embrace he hadn't been consciously aware of.

"Uh…"

"Don't try lying to me Ichigo." Rukia said a little more firmly. "You're feeling guilty, I can tell. You need to stop blaming yourself since you haven't done anything wrong."

Ichigo was genuinely confused now. He couldn't tell if she knew he was lying or not. So he responded with a neutral, "Eh?"

Rukia shook her head. "I know you've been really concerned about Kaien all week, but what happened to him wasn't your fault. You shouldn't feel so responsible for things that are out of your control. Out of all of our control."

Ichigo didn't know what to say. He was unnerved that Rukia had read him so easily, but relieved that she didn't catch on to the true source of his distress. He still found himself at a loss for what to tell her though. Lying to her face—especially while naked in the shower…with his hands still on her bum—was exactly what he wanted to avoid.

"You can't protect everyone from everything." Rukia continued.

Ichigo realized what Kaien had meant before when Ichigo found his own half-truth to stand behind. He looked down at her and regretfully removed his hands from her body to cross his arms and show his resolve. "I can try though. I won't ever let someone suffer if I can prevent it." _Even if it means lying to you, _he added silently.

Rukia shook her head slowly and smirked at his stubborn stance. "I know you won't. That's why you find yourself in trouble so often." She turned back around and turned off the water ending their shower. "I'm the one who always has to save you when you get caught doing something foolish." She grumbled while wrapping herself in a towel before she stepped out.

Ichigo began to chuckle at the irony of their conversation and reached for his own towel. "I guess I'm not afraid of doing things I know are foolish." He admitted wryly.

Rukia snorted and planted her hand on her hip. "That's just stupid!" she said irritably. Then to Ichigo's surprise Rukia dropped her towel and pushed him to the floor, straddling his bare waist. Ichigo's whole body stiffened wondering what she was going to do. He assumed the 'do not touch rule' was done away with, but he was a bit frightened by the look she was giving him.

Her hand gently grazed the part of his body that had stiffened the most when she pounced on him and then leaned forward so their chests were touching. Ichigo inhaled sharply as Rukia's hand stroked him.

Then she narrowed her eyes. "If you'd stopped yourself from being so foolish _last_ week, then we'd still be in that hot shower right now…" she paused and squeezed him hard enough to draw out a groan and get her point across before continuing, "…instead of having me leave you to take a cold one by yourself." She finished.

And with that she got up and strode out of the bathroom leaving Ichigo a helpless heap of hormones on the floor.

The only thing more uncomfortable than Ichigo's second shower, was the knowledge that he was committing himself to a lot more in the near future.

* * *

_AN: Yeah...long time no see! ducks the flying projectiles I never quit writing, I just had a hard time doing so for awhile. But I'm back now and while I have my own critiques about this chapter, I'd really love to hear yours! I'm sorry for the long wait, but I'm GRATEFUL to those who reviewed and sent PMs to get me back on track. I probably shouldn't reveal this to people...but guilt tripping me really works! Anyway, I'll just get back to writing since I have a lot to make up for. Thanks for all the support you've given me in the past! (Also, I haven't been replying to reviews while I was on temp. hiatus, but now I'm back, so you can expect me to respond back.) Thanks again!_


End file.
